"It  was  quite  dust,  nearly  dark,  when  the  Doctor  and  Alida  reached  the  Smug 
gler's  Bridge  ;  so  much  so  that  they  did  not  observe  two  men  who  came  up  from 
^anothei  woods  path  just  as  they  reached  the  bridge." — PAGE  177. 


T  H  K 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN  GIULS 


cai       rv  i  A     A> 

21  Sira  of  * 


BY    BLYTHE     WHITE,    JR. 


'I  »hall  a  tale  unfold- 
A  itory  tell  tlmt'i  ne'er  been  told." 


NEW    YORK: 
DERBY   &  JACKSON,   119   NASSAU   STREET. 

CINCINNATI  : — H.    W.    DKRBY. 

1856. 


1 


ENTERED  nccording  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1356,  by 

.1.    C.    DERBY, 
It.  th»  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


W.  H.  TI.M.OK,  SUrrotyix-r.  PI-DVKV  4   RURSKLL,  Printers. 


MY        NATIVE        P   L,   A   C   K 


BRANDON  VALLEY,  AND  GOOD  OLD  PARSON  WHITE, 

AND   EVERY  OTHER    HILI,    AND  VALLEY  OF  THE    GREEN'    MOUNTAIN  STATE, 
THIS    ILLUSTRATION   OF   THE   CHARACTER   OK 

THE     GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS 

IB   HOPEFULLY    DEDICATED   BY   THEIR   FRIEND, 

THE  AUTHOR. 


2063526 


CONTENTS. 


FAGB 

PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE, 18 


CHAPTER    I. 

Scenes  upon  the  Vermont  frontier  during  "  the  last  war  " — Stories  about  smuggling 
and  Yankee  smugglers — The  sleigh  ride— A  new  way  to  carry  pork  to  mar 
ket 19 

CHAPTER    II. 

Vermont  in  Olden  Times — Times  Past  and  Present — Poor  Mike ;  a  Poor  Boy,  but 
not  a  Poor  Character — How  "  Outcasts  "  are  Slade — A  Scene  with  Mike  and 
Alida — A  Letter,  and  its  Contents — Gratitude  Illustrated — Conspiracy  overheard, 
and  Villainy  Frustrated — Murder  Attempted — An  Escape — Tapping  the  Hard 
ware — Scenes  with  "  Old  Fox,"  the  Custom  House  Officer,  and  the  Wagoner — 
Smugglers'  Tricks — The  Cunning  of  Old  Fox  Outwitted  by  Dr.  Field— The  First 
and  Last  Kiss, 45 

CHAPTER   III 

Another  actor  in  the  same  scene— Alida'a  surprise— Interview  with  Dr.  Field— New 
developments — She  needs  a  friend,  and  finds  one  in  a  smuggler — Dissertation  upon 
distilling,  duty  and  death,  and  its  cause— Illustrations  by  the  opening  bud,  the 
Canada  thistle,  the  curling  smoke,  and  magnetic  power— A.  kiss,  and  what 
of  it, T4 


VI     .  CONTEXTS. 

CHAPTER    IV. 

Day  Dreams  obscured  by  Dark  Clouds — The  First  Doubts  of  Love — Reasonable 
Conclusions — The  Truthfulness  of  Woman's  Love — Constraints  of  Fashion — The 
Parson  and  his  Mug  of  Flip — A  New  Vision  of  the  Mind  to  Alida — Hope  saves 
from  Despair — A  Foreboding  Shadow — The  Word  of  Mike  against  Deacon 
Brandon — A  Miserable  Vagabond — Who  made  him  so? — Alida  and  her  Mother 
talk  about  Education — The  First  "  Woman's  Rights  Convention,"  .  .  96 

CHAPTER    V. 

The  old  still-house — A  mysterious  voice — Conspirators  of  Alida's  ruin,  alarmed — 
Disappointed — Marriage  postponed — Nat  has  to  go  to  Montreal,  and,  what  he 
intends  to  do — Swears  vengeance  upon  Mike,  for  the  kiss  to  Alida — Nat  and  his 
companions  plotting — Dr.  Field  counter-plotting — The  madness  of  jealousy,  and 
meanness  of  revenge — The  story  just  beginning  to  be  interesting — Money  is  the 
root  of  evil — Dr.  Field  goes  to  meet  Mike,  the  sequel  of  which  will  not  be  told  In 
this  chapter, 107 

CHAPTER    VI. 

Michael  bids  a  long  farewell  to  Brandon  Valley,  with  a  hsart  as  light  as  bis  travel 
ling  baggage — Tokens  of  remembrance — The  welcome  of  a  ragged  boy  at  a  road 
side  inn — Decker's  tavern — Mrs.  Decker — Her  portrait  drawn — Michael  sent  to 
the  kitchen  for  his  supper — The  reason  he  did  not  eat  it — Bringing  in  oven- 
wood,  a  most  amusing  s'cene — Noise  and  confusion — A  woman  frightened,  and  a 
woman  angry— The  story  of  George  Norton,  and  his  blue-eyed  wife,  and  her 
prayerful  influence — Dr.  Field  arrives,  and  refuses  to  drink — Decker  astonished 
— The  world  turning  wrong  side  out— Another  convert  to  woman's  influence 
— This  is  a  chapter  in  which  the  reader  can  indulge  a  hearty  laugh,  .  .  121 


CHAPTER    VII. 

A  short  chapter,  but  an  interesting  one— Developments  of  human  nature— Meta 
morphosis  of  a  ragged  boy  to  a  young  gentleman — Michael  in  a  new  suit,  suits 
Mrs.  Decker— The  supper — The  doctor  amused  with  the  oven-wood  story,  and 
her  account  of  "that  ragged  vagabond,  Mike" — Mrs.  Decker  docs  not  recognize 


CONTENTS.  yii 

him— A  lesson  worth  remembering— The  clothes  win,  where  rags  can't  come  in — 
Dr.  Field  and  Michael  talk  of  Alida — Michael  too  excited  to  sleep— Anticipation 
of  "  a  scene  "  to-morrow,  with  Mrs.  Decker, 142 


CHAPTER    VIII  . 

Michael  early  up— Is  surprised  expressing  his  thoughts  in  verse— A  Vermont 
breakfast — A  morning  visit — Mary  Tharp — Her  prayer  for  her  father — A  holy 
scene— The  pledge — Gratitude — Mary  hugs  Michael— Good  bye — Good  deeds  re 
warded — Franklin  May — The  journey  over  the  Green  Mountains— A  happy 
family  meeting— New  friends  for  the  outcast  boy — A  happy  marriage  in  pros 
pect — Emotions  at  parting — The  fruit  of  woman's  holy  influence,  .  .151 


CHAPTER    IX. 

The  prospect  of  doing  a  good  action  brings  happiness — Woman  confides  in  man  and 
ia  deceived — A  walk  in  the  woods — Alida  and  Mary  become  acquainted  and 
are  friends — The  Smuggler's  bridge  and  what  was  seen  there — Another  trick 
upon  the  customs  officers — Human  wolves  on  a  lamb's  track — The  fury  of  jealousy, 
among  men  and  brutes — The  demon  of  the  Distillery — The  conspiracy  for  a  sham 
marriage,  and  plans  to  counteract  it — Dr.  Field  in  the  field,  with  Parson  White, 
out-plots  the  plotters,  who  are  arrested  as  spies — A  wedding  in  prospect— Disap 
pointment — The  minister  don't  come — Unexpected  arrival — Married  at  last — Va 
gue  suspicion  of  a  double  marriage — Waking  and  Dreaming — Looking  through  the 
grates — Visiting  the  sick — Gratitude — A  queer  Doctor's  prescription — Repentance 
—Not  yet  quite  lost, 1T3 


CHAPTER   X. 

The  A  B  C's  of  a  state  prison  education — Who  taught  them — An  old  fashioned 
wedding  breakfast— Wine  refused  for  the  first  time— Its  effects— The  best  temper 
ance  sermon — Who  are  our  enemies — Lost  friends  found — A  runaway  party 
returned — "  Toasting  the  happy  pair,"  at  Deacon  Brandon's — Selecting  the 
beverage — The  distiller's  argument — A  short  sermon,  with  a  moral  application — 
Sowing  of  seed  that  has  produced  a  good  crop, 198 


Viil  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XI. 

Absence  from  home,  and  false  excuses— Borrowing  money  and  false  securities — 
Another  cattle-drove,  and  another  trick  of  the  smugglers— A  false-hearted  hus 
band,  gone  never  to  return — How  to  borrow  money — A  long  letter,  which  the 
reader  will  not  wish  a  line  shorter — Michael  in  his  new  home,  and  new  capacity 
— More  influence  in  the  right  direction— Rum  banished  through  Michael's  exam 
ple,  from  another  house — A  long  story  of  a  short  sleigh-ride  on  Lake  Champlain 
— The  white  phantom— A  race  for  life— Death  wins — The  shot— The  scream,  and 
death  of  the  smugglers — The  lost  man  on  the  ice — "  Oh  let  me  die,  my  wife  and 
child  have  perished  " — Magnetic  communications  through  the  night  air — The 
arrival — The  glowing  kitchen  fire— Old  acquaintances — Wonder  succeeds  wonder 
—The  P.  S.  of  the  letter,  contains  the  nub  of  the  story, 217 


CHAPTER    XII. 

Very  short,  but  full  of  fire — Continuation  of  events — Another  family  letter  without 
a  postscript — The  birth  of  the  real  heroine  of  the  story— Life  begun  in  sorrow- 
How  will  it  end? — A  happy  marriage — And  another  in  prospect — Picture  of  a 
Green  Mountain  thunder-storm — Lightning,  and  where  it  strikes — A  night  long 
to  be  remembered — The  beauty  of  a  fire  scene — What  it  burnt  is  not  regretted 
— Smouldering  ruins  and  ruined  hopes, 286 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

The  cycle  of  years,  and  the  change,  and  new  features  it  has  brought  in  our  story — 
An  age  of  new  life  to  one,  and  blasted  hope  to  another— The  great  want  of  an 
affectionate  nature— Marry  again,  never — The  widow  finds  a  home— Alida  and 
Celestine  start  upon  a  long  journey,  and  arrive  at— disappointment— A  sad  part 
ing  of  friends — The  end  of  the  journey,  and  then — What  then?  .  .  .  245 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

The  village  hotel— The  landlord— The  bar-room,  and  its  occupants— A  new  country 
village— A  gentlemanly  stage-driver— His  passengers  ic  trouble— What  makes  a 
good  son— A  good  brother— Read  and  see—"  Come  with  me."— Blessed  words  of 


CONTENTS.  lx 

comfort — "  Ma  I  what  did  you  come  here  for  ?" — A  child's  appreciation  of  char- 
acter — Cheap  happiness,  and  after-influences  of  good  actions — A  surprise,  and 
its  painful  effects — A  beautiful  picture — Good-bye,  and  a  last  farewell,  .  253 


CHAPTER    XV. 

The  stage-driver's  story — Sickness  and  delirium — The  power  of  a  strong  will  over 
disease — The  power  of  will  in  saving  life — Winter — Wood-chopping — A  perilous 
position — Singular  calmness  of  preparation  to  avert  death — Certain,  inevitable 
death — Echo  and  its  effect — Hope  and  its  glorious  outshining  upon  the  woods 
around  the  dying  prisoner — His  escape  and  tiresome  journey  home — Man's  faith 
ful  friend,  the  dog,  rescues  his  master  by  his  wonderful  intelligence,  .  .  264 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

Allda  and  Maria  Louise — Two  wives  in  the  house  of  one  husband — Alida  awakes 
and  finds  herself  in  a  strange  place — A  night  scene — Female  dignity  quails  a 
villain — A  blow  and  its  consequences — Oh  !  is  that  man  my  husband — Honor 
among  thieves— Its  value— Their  plans  to  entrap  a  partner,  and  make  him  a 
Bcape-goat— A  stranger  robbed,  and  Nat  Brandon  suspected— One  witness  too 
many— Nat  creeps  like  a  thief  into  Ms  own  house— Bitter  reflections  of  "  How  the 
world  will  point  at  a  felon's  children." — The  escape,  pursuit  and  capture — A  stee 
ple-chase,  six  to  one;  five  are  distanced;  four  down  in  the  mud — The  arrest- 
trial — conviction — sentence — Life  ends  in  the  penitentiary,  .  .  .  274 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

A  chapter  of  sad  scenes — Alida  and  Maria  Louise  talk  of  Nat — Celestine,  and  a 
child's  opinion  of  her  father — She  gets  a  scar,  that  is  long  afterwards  remem 
bered — A  new  character  introduced,  and  his  character  painted — What  fops 
think  of  women — Alida  and  Celestine  start  on  a  journey,  which  has  an  unexpected 
termination — Flight  to  the  woods  at  midnight,  to  escape  a  villain — Alida  followed 
by  wolves,  faints,  and  falls  in  the  road,  and  is  found  by  one  who  would  hare 
gladly  shared  his  homo  with  her,  but  she  dies  in  hia  arms,  leaving  poor  Celestine 
In  a  wolf's  den, .  .  2OT 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XVIII  . 

Sail  news — Letters  and  their  answers — More  villainy — Dividing  the  spoils — Wretched 
fate  of  Celestine — Facts  leaking  out — The  convict's  family — The  Poor  House,  and 
how  they  were  received  and  treated  there — Disciplining  a  child — Cruelty — 
Temptation — A  mother's  love  for  her  children — A  bill  of  fare — Escaping  from  an 
American  Bastile — Going  back  to  "  our  old  home" — Two  sorts  of  children  in  one 
family — Commencement  of  the  history  of  Luthella  Brandon — Her  new  home,  and 
life  of  a  "  poor-house  girl" — Seven  years  of  torture — Going  an  errand,  and 
finding  a  friend— A  Christian  woman— A  horrid  sight— Capt.  Sebring  swears — 
Another  phase  in  the  poor-house  girl's  life — Her  destiny  linked  with  Celestine's 
—Good  advice — Going  out  Into  the  wide  world  among  strangers,  .  804 

CHAPTER    XIX. 

The  journey — Peering  into  strange  faces,  in  search  of  a  lost  sister — New  home — New 
scenes — New  friends — Luthella  meets  a  wolf  in  her  path — Familiar  things  in 
every-day  life— Scandal  and  scars— The  spy-glass  and  the  spy— A  new  friend 
and  a  new  cause  of  tears — Another  journey — The  stage  coach — The  wind  and 
autumn  leaves — Reveries — the  stage  horn — A  vision  of  Celestine  vn  the  clouds 
—Oh,  my  Sister,  speak  to  me— The  vision  fades,  and  reality  appears — The  glove 
The  scar — The  recognition — The  curtain  falls, 826 

CHAPTER    XX. 

The  sisters  meet  and  love  each  other — The  story  of  Celestine's  wrongs — May  heaven 

forgive — The  ride  to  C by  moonlight — New  England  scenery — Quillings — 

Apple-parings  and  huskings — The  old  red  house  and  the  school-house — The  village 
— The  green — The  church— The  tavern— The  drive  along  the  Mill-brook— The  old 

bell,  and  its  tones — Arrival  at  C Hotel  loungers — Virtuous  indignation,' 

and  its  results — One  false  step  embitters  life — Reminiscences  of  childhood,  and 
recognition  of  childhood's  friends,  and  a  scene  of  death,  that  would  draw  tears 
from  a  stone's  heart, 887 

CHAPTER    XXI 

Terror  of  death— She  died  young— The  death  scene— Thus  to  die — Woman's  calm 
ness — The  mourning  train — The  cemetery— The  spot  for  the  grave — The  sermon — 
The  text — An  impressive  lesson — Floods  of  tears — Luthella  meets  a  foe — Threats 
of  revenge — Luthella's  path  beset — Return  to  her  nativa  place — Slander  and 
suspicion— Sickness— Want  and  suff«ring  In  a  garret 866 


CONTENT?.  XI 

CHAPTER    XXII. 

Arrival  at  N The  scene  of  the  flight  of  leaves  from  the  old  maple  trees,  and 

vision  of  Celestine  in  the  clouds — Another  vision — Brandon  Valley  seen  in  a 
dream — Echo,  and  a  warning  voice — Offer  of  a  ride — The  mountain  road  and 
precipice — A  terrible  death,  and  mangled  corse — The  end  of  George  Lafale.  869 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 

THE   FINALE. 

Arrival  at  C Signs  of  a   storm — Mistaken   in  who   had  inquired   for   her — 

Luthella  goes  at  night  to  visit  Celestine's  grave — The  Storm  Fiend's  serenade 
while  she  kneels  there — Her  heart  yearns  for  something  to  love — Another  vision 
or  dream — Determines  to  go  and  meet  her  sister — The  plunge — Drowning — Rescue 
—A  declaration— A  wedding  and  the  end,  almost, 881 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

The  conclusion,  and  explanations  why  the  hook  was  written — Familiar  characters 
Introduced  for  the  last  time, 896 

This  is  a  chapter  that  may  be  omitted,  but  one  that  will  be  read.  Indeed  it  may 
be  read  first,  and  if  so,  will  not  spoil  the  story. 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE 

In  explanation  of  the  objects  of  this  volume,  and 
things  treated  of,  and  characters  introduced.  Except 
by  those  who  begin  a  book  in  the  middle,  and  read 
out  each  way,  this  chapter  should  be  first  read. 

Many  of  the  incidents  connected  with  the  early 
Bettlement  of  all  the  forest  regions  of  this  country,  are 
more  remarkable  and  startlingly  interesting,  than 
any  of  the  creations  of  romance.  Yet,  like  the 
forests  where  they  occurred,  they  have  passed  away, 
never  to  be  known  again.  Many  an  incident  that 
has  awakened  the  sympathies  of  all  who  knew  it,  or 
thrilled  to  the  heart  of  a  family,  a  neighborhood,  or 
village,  like  the  scream  of  a  panther  upon  the  crag 
that  overhangs  the  old  log  school-house,  where  I 
gathered  a  few  of  the  rudiments  of  a  plain  educa 
tion  ;  would  have  thrilled  the  world's  great  heart,  but 
like  the  panther's  scream,  it  was  heard  by  only  a  few 
at  night,  and  was  forgotten  in  the  morning. 

How  brilliantly  beautiful  the   burning   of  a  dry 


XIV  PRELIMINARY      DISCOURSE. 

pine  upon  some  mountain  peak,  shoots  up  the  forked 
tongue  of  flame  into  the  cerulean  dome,  one  of 
nature's  "  light-houses  of  the  skies,"  and  how  all  eyes 
within  its  circle  of  radiance,  are  upward  turned  to 
watch  its  beauty. 

In  the  very  valley  upon  which  that  light  falls, 
there  burns  as  bright  a  flame,  but  it  shines  not  so  far, 
and  both  are  evanescent.  Of  the  two  forms  that 
furnished  food  for  the  fire,  one  perhaps  remains  a 
blackened  stump,  and  the  other  is  but  a  pile  of  ashes 
beneath  a  grassy  mound,  in  the  resting-place  of  the 
dead,  on  yonder  hill-side. 

The  daring  deeds  of  the  heroes  of  the  war  of  1812 
have  been  emblazoned  upon  their  country's  shield ;  for 
that  shield  is  its  literature ;  but  there  were  other  deeds 
of  daring — other  actors  upon  the  stage  at  the  same 
time,  that  have  fallen  like  the  leaves  of  the  dark  forests 
that  covered  all  northern  Vermont  in  those  days,  and 
actors  and  actions,  like  the  leaves,  now  fertilize  the 
earth  for  the  husbandman  that  tills  his  field  where 
giant  pines  and  hemlocks  grew,  and  where,  fifty  years 
ago,  such  scenes  as  I  shall  picture  thrilled  the  blood 
that  flowed  then  through  throbbing  hearts. 

It  is  among  the  pioneers  of  that  dark  forest,  that 
I  have  picked  up  the  incidents  of  this  story — a  story 
not  of  heroes — not  of  burning  pines  that  glared,  and 
went  out,  never  to  light  the  world  again,  but  of  the 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS  XV 

bright  enduring  flames  that  have  shot  up  in  the  low 
valley,  or  lighted  the  path  through  the  forest  for  a 
period  of  life,  either  brief,  or  long  enduring. 

My  characters  are  all  from  every-day  scenes  of 
real  life,  and  my  story  is  a  record  of  nothing  more 
than  has  occurred  in  many  a  locality,  other  than  that 
of  Brandon  Valley,  deeply  interesting  at  the  moment 
to  all  that  knew  its  living  actors,  but  unknown  to  all 
beyond  its  sphere,  because  there  are  but  few  of  those 
who  hew  out  homes  in  the  woods,  that  have  time  to 
write  stories,  arid  still  fewer  the  number,  who  have 
the  gift  of  story-telling. 

Whether  that  gift  is  mine,  I  have  yet  to  learn  by 
the  judgment  of  my  readers. 

It  is  a  common-place  story,  of  common-place  men 
and  women,  told  in  a  common-place  way.  But  it  is 
full  of  exciting  scenes,  that  will,  perhaps,  look  more 
like  the  creation  of  some  vivid  imagination,  than 
reality.  It  is  true,  that  my  readers  may  not  recognize 
Brandon  Yalley  by  its  name,  but  many  a  one  will 
exclaim,  "  Why,  I  know  that  place !" 

So,  many  a  one  will  remember  old  Deacon  Bran 
don,  and  his  distillery,  and  I  doubt  not  that  there  are 
a  score  of  persons  still  living,  that  remember  the 
storrn,  the  lightning,  the  bright  flame  that  shone  all 
over  the  valley  the  night  it  was  lightning  struck,  and 
in  two  hours,  had  passed  out  of  existence. 


XVI  PRELIMINARY     DISCOURSE. 

How  many  too  well  recognize  Parson  "White,  as 
"  our  old  minister,"  and  I  am  sure  that  his  son  Blythe, 
still  lives  in  the  memory  of  a  host  of  friends,  and  may 
I  hope  that  Blythe  White,  Junior,  will  be  remembered 
long  after  these  leaves,  like  those  of  autumn  on  the 
Green  Mountains,  have  been  swept  down,  and  buried 
in  the  dust  of  ages. 

Then  how  many  prototypes  will  be  found  for  that 
poor,  outcast  boy,  Michael  Granly — who  still  lives,  a 
grey -haired  sire,  surrounded  by  children,  and  grand 
children,  and  honored  by  all  who  know  him,  and 
loved  by  many  who  enjoy  the  blessings  that  his 
wealth  enables  him  to  bestow  on  others.  He  is  a 
monument  of  fame  to  the 

GKEEN   MOUNTAIN   GIRLS.' 

for  it  was  one  of  them  that  lifted  him  from  a  depth 
of  degradation,  and  started  him  upon  the  road  that 
leads  up  the  steep  mountain-side,  to  the  pinnacle 
where  the  burning  pine  is  seen  from  a  thousand  lower 
hill-tops. 

Who  ever  breathed  the  air  of  those  Green  Moun 
tains,  or  heard  of  their  sons,  that  will  not  glory  in  the 
illustration  of  the  character  of  their  girls. 

That  of  Alida  Blythe,  is  one  to  be  proud  of.  Can 
any  daughter  of  America  read  it,  and  not  rejoice  to 
call  her  sister  ? 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  XV11 

The  coldest  heart  will  throb — the  dryest  eye  will 
moisten — and  every  one  will  sympathize  with  her 
misfortunes. 

What  soul  will  not  expand,  as  it  follows  the  sad 
dened  path  of  her  daughter,  or  will  not  rejoice,  and 
weep  by  turns,  as  the  characters  of  these  Green 
Mountain  Girls  are  unfolded.  If  any  one  can  study 
that  of  Mary  Tharp,  and  not  love  her,  he  is  not  mor 
tal,  nor  is  he  more,  for  angels  do. 

How  many  hearts  will  bleed  as  they  read  the  early 
history  of  Luthella  Brandon,  or  rejoice  as  it  is  devel 
oped  with  her  noble  character,  I  cannot  say,  but  I 
can  exercise  the  Yankee  privilege,  and  guess.  I 
guess  that  none  will  read,  and  not  feel  the  heart 
warming  with  pride,  to  think  that  she  is  a  true  speci- 
of  the  genuine  Green  Mountain  Girls. 

Although  Mrs.  Decker,  Mrs.  Stoneheart,  and  Mrs. 
Flint,  all  sat  for  their  portraits,  and  all  are  taken  true 
to  life,  I  hope  no  one  will  say,  "  I  know  the  original," 
for  these  are  specimens  of  women,  I  would  rejoice  to 
see  extinct. 

But  my  story  is  full  of  men  and  women,  that  may 
be  taken  as  patterns,  and  their  virtues  copied,  and  all 
may  strive  to  emulate,  while  they  read  of,  and  honor 
their  noble  deeds. 

Since  so  many  of  my  characters  are  living,  I  have 
been  obliged  to  avoid  names  of  persons,  and  places, 


-v«...  PRELIMINARY     DISCOURSE. 

and  carefully  hide  localities,  so  that  none  may  recog 
nize  anything  but  the  good  deeds  I  would  immor 
talize,  while  I  bury  the  evil  ones  in  oblivion. 

As  a  whole,  this  is  a  work  of  history,  illustrated 
by  fiction,  except  in  all  that  is  depicted  of  good, 
glorious  deeds,  there  is  no  fiction — it  is  only  an  illus 
tration  of  "Vermont  men,  and  the  characters  of  the 
Green  Mountain  Girls. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN  GIELS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

Scenes  upon  the  Vermont  frontier  during  "  the  last  war." — Stories  about  smuggling 
and  Yankee  smugglers — The  sleigh  ride — A  new  way  to  carry  pork  to  market. 

The  reader  that  expects  to  find  any  love  and  murder  In  this  chapter,  will  be  dis 
appointed.     But  he  will  find  why  whiskey  is  called  "  Hardware." 

..  ALL  along  our  extensive  frontier,  during  the  war  of  1812, 
there  was  a  constant  effort  made  by  one  party  to  evade  the 
non-intercourse  laws,  and  by  another  to  prevent  everything 
that  bore  any  relation  to  smuggling  ;  though  to  be  known 
as  a  smuggler,  was  no  disparagement  to  a  man's  character, 
so  he  did  not  get  caught  in  the  act,  and  suffer  a  forfeiture 
of  his  goods. 

Some  of  these  Yankee  devices,  would  have  done  credit  to 
the  greatest  adept  in  the  business  that  ever  studied  the  pro 
fession  in  Europe. 

Since  a  number  of  the  characters  of  my  story  were  more 
or  less  connected  with  this  business,  and  some  of  the  most 
intensely  interesting  scenes  in  this  volume,  are  those  con- 


20 


G  R  E  E  N  -  M  0  U  K  T  A  I  N      GIRLS 


uected  with  the  smugglers,  I  will  commence  my  tale  with 
a  chapter  of  anecdotes  that  I  have  often  heard  related  ; 
sometimes  by  the  actors,  and  sometimes  by  those  who  lived 
upon  the  spot,  and  were  cognizant  at  the  time  of  the  excit 
ing,  or  laughable  events. 

One  of  the  adepts  in  the  smuggling  business— one  of  the 
most  finished  hands — was  known  all  along  the  Vermont 
frontier  as  Doctor  Field. 

One  of  the  most  successful,  as  well  as  most  laughable  of 
his  tricks,  was  known  and  understood  for  a  long  time, 
whenever  the  inquiry  was  made,  "how  is  pork?"  This 
simple  question  was  enough  to  throw  some  of  the  customs 
officers  into  a  paroxysm  of  rage.  The  resident  officers  had 
been  fooled  so  often  by  "  the  boys,"  that  it  was  thought 
necessary  by  the  authorities  at  Washington,  to  give  them 
the  assistance  of  a  company  of  regular  soldiers.  These 
were  ordered  to  give  their  most  efficient  aid  to  the  entire 
suppression  of  smuggling,  between  the  Connecticut  River 
and  Lake  Memphremagog  ;  a  sheet  of  water,  now  much 
more  resorted  to  by  the  tourist  and  lover  of  wild  scenery, 
than  by  the  counterfeiters  and  smugglers  of  1812  ;  and  even 
in  later  years,  it  was  known  as  the  great  head-quarters  of  a 
lawless  band.  The  mountain  sides  echoed  then  to  the  wild 
halloo  of  the  hunter,  or  the  signal  call  of  those  who  had 
their  homes  in  their  secret  places. 

Now,  the  same  hills  give  back  the  echoes  of  the  steam 
boat  whistle,  as  it  makes  its  daily  trips  of  pleasure,  with  its 
gay  load  of  travellers  up  and  down  this  mountain-locked 
lake.  On  the  east  of  this  lake,  the  first  town  south  of  the 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  21 

line,  and  right  opposite  Stanstead  is  Derby  ;  then  a  wild 
new  settlement,  now  a  lovely  village  and  rich  farming  town. 
It  was  here  that  the  company  of  soldiers  were  stationed,  to 
entirely  suppress  all  sorts  of  smuggling.  One  of  the  most 
particular  instructions  to  the  officer  in  command,  was  to 
utterly  break  up  the  trade  in  provisions,  sent  from  this  side 
to  feed  the  poor  fellows  on  the  north  side  of  the  line  of 
latitude  forty-five,  since,  according  to  reports  at  head-quar 
ters,  this  traffic  had  grown  to  a  degree,  perfectly  scandalous 
to  the  Green  Mountain  State.  But  the  fact  was,  that  the 
temptation  was  a  little  too  strong  for  human  nature  in  any 
State. 

The  British  government  had  filled  Canada  with  so  many 
red  coats,  that  they  consumed  everything  in  the  way  of 
fresh  meats,  without  getting  half  a  supply  ;  and  the  French 
settlers,  besides,  not  making  a  surplus,  to  sell  to  the  army, 
had  a  more  deadly  hatred  of  the  British  soldiers,  ten  times 
over,  than  the  Yankees  had  ;  for  the  former  hated  them 
with  a  national  hatred,  embittered  by  war  and  subjugation, 
while  the  latter  felt  no  more  enmity  than  the  prize-fighter 
does  towards  his  antagonist,  who  is  bound  to  whip,  for  the 
honor  of  the  thing. 

Upon  the  Canadian  side,  then,  there  was  not  only  a  short 
supply  of  provisions,  but  really  less  disposition  to  profit  by 
the  presence  of  the  soldiers,  than  upon  the  American  side. 
Hence,  prices  attained  such  extravagant  rates,  that  the 
temptation  was  greatly  increased  to  smuggle  over  food,  not 
withstanding  it  was  contrary  to  all  the  rules  of  warfare,  to 
feed  an  enemy. 


22  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

But  recollect,  that  enemy  was  John  Bull,  a  most  glori 
ous  old  fellow  to  eat  roast  beef  and  fresh  pork,  and  willing 
to  pay  for  it.  And  where  is  the  Yankee  that  would  not 
prefer  to  feed  him  well,  and  then  whip  him  upon  a  full  sto 
mach.  There  would  be  a  sort  of  refined  cruelty  in  whipping 
a  hungry  man,  besides,  how  foolish  it  would  be,  when  he 
was  willing  to  pay  for  his  dinner,  and  be  whipped  afterwards. 

However,  our  Government  objected  to  this  method  of  con 
quering  a  peace,  and  when  Captain  Simonds  was  sent  there 
with  his  company,  he  had  strict  orders  to  suppress  this 
traffic  in  provisions,  and  for  some  time,  his  new  vigilance — 
new  brooms  always  sweep  clean — nearly  swept  the  whole 
business  out  of  existence. 

It  was  no  use  any  longer  to  kill  a  fat  pig,  and  leave  it 
out  all  night  to  be  stolen,  because,  somehow,  it  was  not 
stolen  by  the  right  parties — the  thief  would  not  pay. 

In  the  meantime,  the  temptation  to  smuggle  a  little  fresh 
pork  over  the  line,  grew  stronger  and  stronger  ;  for  as  the 
difficulties  increased  the  prices  rose,  until  it  was  double  or 
treble  in  value  on  the  Canada  side,  over  that  upon  our 
own,  where  the  prices  seemed  to  fall,  as  the  other  side  went 
np. 

But  the  worst  feature  of  all,  was  that  Captain  Simonds 
made  his  brags  that  he  had  broken  up  the  smuggling  busi 
ness,  and  in  fact  that  he  was  altogether  too  sharp  for  the 
Green  mountaineers. 

As  he  was  a  sprig  of  aristocracy,  from  a  southern  city, 
this  boast  did  not  sit  well  upon  the  boys'  stomachs,  nor,  in 
fact,  upon  the  girls'  either  ;  for  to  their  honor  be  it  spoken, 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  23 

nowhere  on  earth  can  more  abiding  faith  and  lore  be  found, 
than  among  the  Green  Mountain  Girls. 

They  had  no  idea  of  allowing  their  friends,  brothers, 
cousins  or  sweethearts,  to  be  outdone  in  anything  that 
required  a  little  tact  or  smartness.  It  was  then  a  point  of 
honor  to  outwit  the  customs  officers,  and  their  allies,  the 
"  Uncle  Sam's  soldiers,"  and  if  possible,  pluck  a  feather  out 
of  the  cap  of  the  southern  fop,  who  seemed  to  feel  that 
he  belonged  to  a  superior  order  of  beings  to  those  that  he 
found  living  here  in  log  cabins,  among  hemlock  stumps.  He 
forgot  that  they  were  off-shoots  of  some  of  the  best  stock 
in  all  the  old  settlements  of  New  England,  and  that  a  life 
in  the  wood,  only  served  to  sharpen  naturally  bright  intel 
lects. 

It  was  now  "  hog  killing  time,"  and  it  was  entirely  too 
much  for  human  nature  to  bear,  to  sell  pork  in  Derby  at 
ten  cents,  while  it  was  twenty  or  twenty-five  in  Stanstead, 
just  across  an  imaginary  line  upon  a  level  piece  of  land, 
which  was  guarded  night  and  day  with  such  assiduous  care 
upon  both  sides,  for  fear  a  little  pork  and  beef  would  get 
across  one  way,  or  a  little  rum  or  tea  the  other. 

It  would  have  been  amusing,  if  it  had  not  been  so 
extremely  ridiculous,  to  see  the  strutting  turkey  cocks  in 
red  coats  upon  the  north  side  of  this  line,  and  blue  coats 
upon  this,  stalking  back  and  forth,  watching  each  other. 

Notwithstanding  the  belligerent  attitudes  of  the  red 
coats  and  blue  coats,  the  people  kept  up  a  constant  inter 
course,  going  back  and  forth,  only  subjecting  themselves  to 
search,  to  see  if  they  had  anything  contraband  of  war  in 


24  GREEN -MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

their  wagons  or  sleighs,  which  would  be  seized  and  con 
fiscated  by  the  customs  officers,  for  that  was  all  individual 
profit.  The  officers  seized  from  the  smugglers,  not  so  much 
to  stop  smuggling,  and  benefit  the  Federal  government,  as 
themselvffs.  It  was  a  constant  war  of  wits,  without  much 
ill-feeling,  for  it  often  happened  that  the  officers  and  smug 
glers  were  intimate  neighbors,  and  sometimes,  even  brothers. 

If  the  Government  at  Washington  ever  imagined  that  it 
could  station  men  enough  along  the  Canada  line,  to  prevent 
the  people  from  trafficing  across,  back  and  forth,  it  very 
much  mistook  the  Yankee  character.  Nothing  short  of  a 
picket  fence  of  bayonets  would  have  been  sufficient,  and 
even  then,  some  fellows  would  have  dug  under  or  flew  over. 

As  long  as  personal  intercourse  was  not  interdicted,  it 
was  impossible  to  prevent  small  traffic,  since  the  ingenuity 
of  concealment  baffled  all  the  cunning  of  search.  And  if 
a  party  was  detected,  and  lost  his  goods  to-day,  it  only 
served  to  sharpen  his  wits  to-morrow.  The  people  were 
constantly  outwitting  the  custom-house  officers. 

It  was  owing  to  this  fact  being  represented  at  "Washing 
ton,  that  the  soldiers  were  sent  here  ;  and  for  them  there 
was  no  love.  It  was  as  much  to  outwit  them,  as  for  the 
profit  of  the  thing,  that  the  following  plan  was  hit  upon  to 
get  a  little  pork  over  the  line.  Almost  as  a  matter  of 
course,  Doctor  Field  was  the  concoctor  of  the  scheme,  but 
to  carry  it  out  he  had  to  have  a  goodly  company  of  assist 
ants,  and  what  was  more  than  all,  a  part  of  those  must  be 
girls.  But  who  that  knows  the  country,  does  not  know  that 
nowhere  else  on  earth  could  be  found  a  company  more 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  25 

ready  for  a  daring  expedition,  either  upon  a  tour  of  duty, 
or  for  one  of  pure  frolic  and  fun,  than  the  Green  Mountain 
girls  ? 

The  plan  was  agreed  to  perhaps,  on  their  part,  all  the 
more  readily,  because  of  the  dislike  they  had  taken  to 
Captain  Simonds.  The  truth  is,  he  had  undervalued  the 
Green  Mountain  girls,  and  they  were  disposed  to  give  him 
proof  that  they  were  not  verdant,  however  so  were  their 
hills  and  mountains. 

It  did  not  require  any  persuasion,  after  the  plan  was 
named,  to  induce  them  to  go  into  the  measure  most  heartily. 
According  to  arrangements,  it  was  circulated  through  the 
settlements,  that  the  boys  and  girls  were  going  to  get  up  a 
sleigh  ride  to  Stanstead,  next  week,  and  Captain  Simonds 
was  even  asked  to  join  them. 

He  had  a  good  excuse,  that,  being  a  soldier,  he  would 
not  be  permitted  to  visit  the  enemy's  dominions.  He  had 
no  objection,  however,  to  let  the  sleighing  party  go  over, 
but  cautioned  them  to  be  careful  and  not  make  any  pur 
chases  of  goods  to  bring  back,  for  that  he  would  not 
tolerate,  even  to  a  single  yard  of  ribbon  or  paper  of  pins. 
He  never  suspected  the  real  object  of  the  party. 

Doctor  Field  went  over  the  day  before  the  ride  was  to 
come  off,  and  arranged  with  the  commander  to  let  the  party 
pass  the  line  without  any  delay  for  examination. 

The  company  made  their  rendezvous  at  "  Decker's,"  a 
noted  tavern,  some  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  from  the  line. 

The  night  was  one  of  those  clear  cold  ones,  when  the 
trees  snap  with  frost,  and  the  snow  fairly  screams  with  cold 

2 


26  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

as  the  sleighs  glide  over  it,  and  the  horses  turn  white  in  the 
ice  of  their  own  breath.  As  fast  as  the  sleighs  drove  and 
unloaded  the  girls  at  the  door,  Decker  had  them  driven 
right  into  his  capacious  barn,  and  when  all  were  ready 
for  g,  start,  he  had  them  hitched  up  and  the  girls  all  care 
fully  bundled  in  their  furs  before  he  opened  the  great  doors  ; 
so  that  if  in  fact,  the  girls  had  been  contraband,  the  custom 
house  spy  that  was  lurking  about  could  not  have  counted 
the  number  ;  for  when  the  doors  opened  they  went  out  in 
a  perfect  rush,  with  a  wild  and  joyous  shout. 

As  they  neared  the  line,  they  had  a  cordon  of  sentries  to 
pass,  but  they  drove  right  up  to  the  Captain's  quarters,  and 
asked  permission  to  pass,  and  the  girls,  peeping  out  of  their 
skins  and  blankets,  laughingly  .invited  him  to  come  and 
search  for  contraband  goods.  He,  however,  declined  to 
look  beyond  the  surface  of  things,  and  permitted  the  whole 
party  to  pass,  little  suspecting  that  he  was  the  victim  of 
one  of  the  cunningest  tricks  of  the  smugglers. 

If  he  could  have  been  present  when  the  party  alighted  at 
the  "  King's  Arms,"  he  would  have  opened  his  eyes  in  won 
der,  to  see  that  of  every  two  bonnets,  only  one  got  out  of 
the  sleigh — the  other  was  driven  away  to  the  barn. 

He  would  have  opened  his  eyes  still  wider,  if  he  had  been 
present  to  see  the  unbouneting  and  unwrapping  from  among 
the  blankets,  of  the  figures  that  had  sat  so  upright,  and  to 
more  than  one  of  which  the  beau  captain  had  bowed  and 
said,  "  Good  evening,  miss,"  when  he  found  that  instead  of 
a  jolly  fat  Green  Mountain  girl,  eacli  one  was  a  jolly  fat 
carcase  of  pork.  It  was  a  fat  trick,  the  profits  of  which 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  27 

more  than  paid  all  the  expenses  of  the  sleigh  ride ;  and 
when  at  length  it  became  known — for  it  was  too  good,  the 
girls  said,  to  keep — it  more  than  paid  up  many  an  old  score 
they  had  set  down  against  the  captain  and  his  blue  coats 

The  poor  victims  of  the  successful  trick  never  heard  the 
last  of  it.  Every  time  a  pig  squealed,  it  gave  a  hint  for 
some  mischievous  boy  to  run  and  tell  a  soldier  to  look  out 
for  another  pork  trade. 

At  killing  time,  some  girl  was  sure  to  send  Captain 
Simonds  a  present  of  a  pig's  head,  with  a  bonnet  on. 
Whether  he  roasted  the  head  or  not,  I  cannot  say,  but 
certain  it  is,  the  girls  frequently  roasted  him,  by  inviting 
him  to  dinner  whenever  they  had  roast  pork.  He  took 
these  jokes  in  pretty  good  part  from  the  girls,  but  if  any  of 
the  young  men  wanted  a  free  fight,  they  had  only  to  say 
pork,  and  the  fat  was  in  a  blaze. 

Another  of  the  successful  devices  of  Dr.  Field,  was  to 
buy  cattle  and  drive  them  up  near  the  line,  at  a  place 
known  as  the  Brandon  Yalley,  where  they  were  always 
stolen  by  "  them  thieving  Canadians."  It  was  a  little  sin 
gular  too,  that  they  were  always  taken  from  a  pasture  near 
Deacon  Brandon's  old  distillery  ;  of  which  we  shall  hear 
a  good  deal  by  and  by.  People  wondered  that  such  con 
tinued  losses  did  not  ruin  him,  but  really  he  seemed  to 
fatten  upon  his  calamities.  All  sorts  of  possible  contri 
vances,  that  his  fertile  mind  could  invent,  were  put  in 
practice  to  get  British  goods  over  the  line,  in  every  sort  of 
way,  that  none  but  him  could  think  of.  One  time  he  wound 
a  whole  lot  of  silks  and  laces  round  his  horse,  and  then 


28  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

stitched  another  horse  skin  over  the  whole,  and  drove  down 
in  his  sleigh,  right  by  the  custom-house  officer,  and  told  him 
that  he  expected  a  fellow  over  on  the  hill  road  was  going- 
down  with  a  load  of  goods,  and  if  he  would  get  in  the 
sleigh  with  him,  he  would  drive  him  over  there.  Thus 
thrown  of  his  guard,  the  officer  accepted  the  offer  ;  and  on 
the  way,  the  doctor  called  a  moment  at  Captain  Marshall's 
door,  and  the  captain  asked  him  where  he  was  going ; 
he  said  he  thought  even  of  going  down  to  Robinson-'s  cross 
roads.  The  captain  said  carelessly,  that  he  wished  Field 
would  take  a  dozen  muskets  down  there,  as  they  were  going 
to  have  a  muster  next  week  of  a  new  company,  and  he  had 
promised  to  lend  them  some  muskets,  and  it  w&ild  oblige 
Captain  Robinson  very  much  if  he  could  take  them  along 
as  well  as  not.  Of  course  the  doctor  was  willing,  as  the 
officer  was  going  -to  get  out  at  the  hill  road,  and  so  the 
muskets  were  put  in,  and  the  smuggler  and  custom-house 
officer  rode  on  together,  drawn  by  a  horse  loaded  with 
contraband  goods,  carrying  a  dozen  big-barrelled  muskets, 
every  one  of  which,  was  stuffed  with  fine  lace,  and  the 
cartridge  boxes  furnished  with  the  same  kind  of  ammunition. 
Another  time  he  was  chased  by  the  officers  to  one  of  his 
stopping  places,  a  sort  of  smugglers'  head-quarters,  where  he 
had  to  "hole  up."  The  officers  knew  from  the  motion  of 
things,  that  he  had  contraband  articles  in  the  house,  but 
they  could  not  get  in  to  search,  and  so  they  kept  watch 
night  and  day  for  a  week,  thinking  to  nab  them  whenever  . 
they  started  off  with  any  show  of  carrying  away  the  goods. 
The  doctor  began  to  feel  uneasy,  for  he  had  some  exceed- 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  29 

ingly  valuable  laces  in  the  house,  which  he  was  bound  to 
get  out  by  hook  or  by  crook  someway. 

In  that  neighborhood  lived  one  Jason  Inwright,  who 
was  about  the  oddest  animal  in  Yermont.  I  have  often, 
seen  him  ride  with  a  bundle  of  straw  for  a  saddle,  and 
moosewood  bark  for  a  bridle.  Jason  was  fond  of  a  little 
good  whiskey,  and  Dr.  Field  knew  how  to  approach  his 
weaker  side.  A  few  hours  after  Field  had  walked  out  one 
day,  Jason  rode  up  in  his  peculiar  primitive  style  and  asked 
to  see  the  doctor.  He  was  told  he  was  gone,  and  was 
about  to  turn  away,  when  Blake,  the  owner  of  the  house 
called  to  him. 

"  Halloo,  Jason,  when  are  you  going  to  take  away  that 
grind-stone  ?  I'll  charge  you  for  storage,  if  you  do  not  get 
it  home  pretty  soon.  It  is  in  the  way  in  the  house,  and  I 
am  afraid  to  put  it  out  of  doors,  for  fear  some  of  these 
bloody  customs  officers  will  run  off  with  it,  or  break  it  ;  to 
see  if  there  a'n't  some  smuggled  goods  in  it.  I  wish  you 
would  contrive  some  way  to  get  it  home." 

"  I'll  take  it  now,  if  you'll  put  it  up  before  me.  Old 
Brandy  and  I  can  manage  it,  I  guess." 

Jason  was  a  little  drunk,  and  this  proposition  was  received 
with  shouts  of  laughter  by  the  idlers  hanging  around.  Two 
or  three  of  the  customs  officers  were  particularly  anxious  to 
see  the  fun,  for  they  expected  Jason  and  his  grindstone 
would  both  tumble  in  the  mud  together. 

Blake  told  him  he  was  a  fool,  and  tried  to  dissuade  him 
from  the  attempt ;  but  like  other  obstinate  fools,  he  would 
have  his  own  way.  Blake  said  he  could  not  hold  it  on. 


30  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

Jason  said  he  would  put  it  in  a  sack  ;  and  pulled  out  one 
which  formed  a  component  •  part  of  his  saddle,  and  told 
Blake  to  put  it  into  that,  and  he  would  show  him  how  to 
do  it. 

This  was  done,  and  two  or  three  men  came  out  lugging  it 
between  them,  and  succeeded  in  getting  it  up  forward  of 
Jason,  on  the  neck  of  old  Brandy  ;  and  the  two  started  off 
with  their  load  amid  the  shouts  of  those  who  witnessed  the 
odd  feat. 

Some  "months  afterwards,  some  of  the  officers  discovered 
in  the  woods  south  of  Jason's  house,  a  wooden  box,  in  form 
very  much  resembling  the  grindstone  carried  away  from 
Blake's  while  they  were  watching  the  smugglers.  They 
did  not  find  the  valuables  it  had  contained  ;  but  they 
found  that  Dr.  Field's  cunning  and  Jason's  oddity  had 
been  too  much  for  their  keen  scent  after  smuggled  goods. 
The  wooden  box  only  resembled  a  grindstone,  and  the  trick 
was  cunningly  devised  to  get  some  very  valuable  things 
through  the  cordon  of  "  hounds,"  as  the  officers  were  called, 
that  had  holed  the  "  old  fox,"  and  had  been  waiting  quietly 
a  long  time  to  unearth  him. 

Another  of  the  smuggler's  tricks  made  one  of  the  officers 
a  butt  for  sport  as  long  as  he  lived.  Stanstead,  Canada, 
was  a  noted  depot  of  goods,  and  every  road  leading  south 
was  constantly  guarded  and  carefully  watched,  night  or 
day,  for  ten  or  fifteen  miles  from  the  line.  This  was  the 
gauntlet  through  which  the  smugglers  had  to  run.  Some 
times  they  would  get  half  way  and  have  to  "  hole  up  ;"  and 
they  were  not  always  as  successful  in  getting  out,  even  by 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  31 

such  cute  contrivances  as  Jason  and  his  grindstone,  or 
"  giving  a  customs  officer  a  ride,"  as  in  the  following  case. 

One  day  a  boy  came  running  in  breathless  haste  to  get 
the  dollar  reward  for  information,  to  tell  the  officer  "  that 
a  wagon  came  down  the  road  from  the  line,  and  turned  off 
at  the  school-house,  down  towards  Magog  lake,  driving  like 
fun,  and  he  guessed  he  would  come  round  to  the  road  again 
at  Squire  Dickey's,  and  may  be  he  had  a  proper  sight  of 
goods  in  his  box,"  which  was  that  of  a  common  tin  pedlar. 

Down  went  the  officer  as  fast  as  he  could  ride  to  Squire 
Dickey's  tavern,  about  three  miles  below,  arriving  just  as 
the  pedlar  was  about  to  open  his  box,  to  exhibit  his  goods 
for  sale,  to  the  old  lady  and  half  a  dozen  of  her  girls,  drawn 
up  around  the  wagon,  which  from  some  unaccountable  reason 
was  stationed  on  the  back  side  of  the  house  instead  of  the 
front.  The  keen  eye  of  the  pedlar  espied  the  officer  as  he 
came  round  the  corner,  and  down  went  the  lid  with  a  bang, 
and  the  padlock  was  on,,  and  the  key  in  his  pocket  before 
the  officer  could  get  near  enough  for  a  peep  ;  but  he  was 
satisfied,  for  he  had  heard  the  old  lady  say  she  wanted  some 
tea,  and  one  of  the  girls,  frightened  at  the  bang  of  the 
lid,  had  run  into  the  house  in  such  a  fright  that  she  had 
no  time  to  lay  down  the  dress  pattern  in  her  hands  ;  which 
however  she  had  brought  out  on  purpose  to  act  her  part  in 
the  drama,  which  the  pedlar  had  got  up  for  special  pur 
poses. 

"  Halloo,  old  fellow,  you  are  in  a  great  hurry  to  shut  up, 
it  appears  to  me.  What  have  you  got  in  that  box  that  you 
are  so  'fraid  I  shall  see  ?" 


32  G  R  E  E  N  -  M  O  U  N  T  A  I  X      GIRLS. 

"  Nothing  in  the  world,  but  a  few  pieces  of  tin  ware  and 
paper  rags.  I  have  quite  sold  out." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  understand  that,  but  you  don't  sell  me. 
Do  you  think  I  did  not  see  that  girl  with  her  dry  goods  ?" 

"  Well,  cap'in,  'spose  you  did  ;  is  that  anything  to  me  ? 
She  has  a  right  to  run  I  calculate,  here  in  her  dad's  own 
yard,  hain't  she  ?" 

"  Oh  yes,  and  you  have  a  right  to  bring  your  wagon 
round  here  by  the  back  door,  but  it  looks  a  little  suspicious  ; 
so  open  up  with  a  good  grace  ;  I  am  going  to  search  that 
box  to  the  bottom." 

"  Upon  my  word,  cap'in,  I  have  not  got  a  single  contra 
band  article,  and  I  am  in  a  dreadful  hurry  to  be  off.  I 
have  got  to  be  at  Decker's  by  sundown,  to  see  a  man  there 
to-night,  and  it  looks  as  though  it  was  going  to  rain  ;  don't 
you  think  so." 

"  Well  it  does  look  a  little  squally for  you,  that  is  a 

fact.  I  hardly  think  you  will  get  to  Decker's  to-night,  un 
less  you  go  a-foot." 

"Oh,  I  must  ;  now  don't  say  that,  cap'in  ;  I  would  not 
miss  it  for  fifty  dollars  ;  come  now  take  my  word  this  time, 
do,  now,  that  is  a  clever  fellow.  I  swan  to  gracious,  if  I 
had'nt  rather  give  you  five  dollars,  than  be  detained.  I  tell 
you  there  is  nothing  there,  can't  you  take  a  fellow's  word  I" 

"  Yes,  I  will  take  your  word,  if  you  will  answer  me  a 
few  questions." 

"  Sartin  :  anything  you  ask." 

"  Well,  then,  you  have  been  to  Stanstead  ?" 

"  Yes,  but  not  a-trading.     I  sold  out  on  this  side  of  the 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN'      GIRLS.  33 

line,  and  just  drove   over   to   see   my  brother  that  livos 
there." 

"  Ha,  ha,  your  brother  that  lives  there — I  see — in  partner 
ship.  Well,  you  left  there  to-day,  to  go  to  Decker's,  a 
somewhat  noted  smuggler's  stand,  and  you  are  in  a  great 
hurry." 

"  Yes,  that's  a  fact." 

"  With  nothing  in  your  wagon  ?" 

"  Well,  now,  cap'in,  I  did  not  say  nothing,  only  a  few 
pieces  of  tin-ware  and  some  rags." 

"  Yery  well,  they  are  contraband." 

"  Oh,  but  you  have  not  got  me  there.  I  did  not  take  my 
wagon  over  the  line." 

"  Then  what  did  you  turn  off  from  the  main  road  for,  at 
the  school-house,  and  go  down  toward  the  lake  ?" 

"  Now,  I  declare,  cap'in,  who  told  you  that  ?  Somebody 
must  have  told  you,  and  so  I  might  as  well  own  up  ;  I  did 
do  that." 

"  What  for,  if  you  were  in  such  a  wonderful  hurry  to  get 
to  Decker's  before  night  ?  You  went  more  than  two  miles 
out  of  your  way,  on  a  bad  road." 

"  So  I  did,  that  is  at  first,  but  as  I  was  light,  and  had 
two  of  the  plageyist  smart  horses  in  all  these  parts,  I  did 
not  mind  it,  for  I  knew  if  I  come  down  by  your  place,  you 
would  be  bothering  me  with  questions  ;  you  are  always  so 
particular." 

"  How  did  you  know  I  should  be  there.  It  might  be 
somebody  else  011  guard." 

"  No,   I  -knew  Bob,   Smith  and  Hinman,    were  all  off 
o* 


34  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

another  way,  and  you  were  there  alone  to-day.  I  say, 
cap'in,  you  had  better  let  me  go  on,  as  you're  '11  a  hurry  to 
get  back  as  soon  as  possible,  or  something  might  happen, 
and  nobody  there  to  look  after  it." 

"  Oh  thank  you  ;  I  think  I  am  doing  pretty  well.  Besides, 
I  don't  think  your  brother  will  send  anybody  else  down  to 
run  the  gauntlet  to-day  ;  you  fellows  understand  business 
too  well  for  that.  Come,  open  up." 

"  Oh,  cap'in,  I  am  in  such  a  hurry  ;  and  I  have  not  got 
a  thing  you  want,  unless  'tis  a  dozen  papers  of  lamp-black, 
and  I  will  give  you  them,  if  you  let  me  go,  besides  the  five 
dollars.  Come  now,  do,  I  am  in  such  a  hurry." 

"  So  am  I,  for  I  must  get  back  ;  as  you  seem  to  know 
that  all  the  officers  are  out  of  the  way,  perhaps  the  rest  of 
the  smugglers  know  the  same  thing,  and  so  as  I  am  in  as 
big  a  hurry  as  you  are,  you  will  take  off  that  lock,  or  I 
shall." 

With  that  he  picked  up  an  axe,  and  was  about  proceed 
ing  to  extremities,  when  the  pedlar,  finding  there  was  no 
escape,  took  off  the  lock,  raised  the  lid  of  his  deep  box, 
holding  it  by  one  hand,  told  him  to  look,  but  he  would  find 
nothing  but  the  few  tins,  the  rags,  and  lamp-black.  The 
officer  mounted  the  wheel,  and  stretched  his  body  over,  far 
down  into  the  pedlar's  box,  hunting  for  the  hidden  goods, 
beneath  the  rags.  Just  then,  the  horses  started -suddenly, 
over  went  the  "Captain,"  neck  and  heels  ;  the  lid  fell  with 
a  crash  ;  the  lock  was  on  in  a  moment  ;  crack  went  the 
whip,  and  an  hour  after,  the  pedlar  drove  up  to  Decker's  ; 
his  horses  in  a  foam  of  sweat  ;  and  everybody  expecting  to 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  35 

see  the  chasing  customs  officers  in  pursuit,  as  that  was  a 
sight  they  were  often  treated  to  on  that  road. 

Once  at  Decker's,  and  the  goods  were  landed,  they  were 
safe,  for  the  secret  hiding-places  were  beyond  the  reach  of 
the  pursuers. 

Decker  met  the  new  comers  at  the  door.  "  Come,  unload 
— how  far  back  are  they — what  have  you  got  ?" 

"  Got,  why  I  have  got  a  custom-house  officer.  Do  you 
want  to  buy  one  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  should  like  one  of  the  critters  for  a  show." 

"  Well,  I  will  let  you  have  one  in  prime  order,  except  he 
may  be  a  little  smutty,  in  consequence  of  being  engaged  in 

* 

the  lamp-black  trade,  if  you  will  feed  my  horses,  and  give 
me  my  supper,  and  by  that  time  the  boys  will  be  here,  and 
we  are  going  south  a  good  piece  to-night. 

The  pedlar  got  his  supper,  and  horses  fed,  and  fresh  for  a 
new  start,  just  as  "  the  boys  "  drove  up.  He  then  hitched 
his  team  to  their  wagon  all  ready  for  a  start,  when  he  called 
out  the  landlord  to  receive  his  pay  in  the  promised  article. 
He  opened  the  bos,  and  the  poor  fellow  crept  out  amid  a 
shout  of  laughter,  not  only  at  the  trick,  but  at  his  appear 
ance,  begrimed  as  he  was,  like  a  chimney-sweeper,  from 
head  to  foot.  He  begged  them  never  to  say  anything  about 
it ;  promised  to  pay  the  bill  to  Decker,  and  gave  the  ped 
lar  a  certificate  that  he  had  searched  his  wagon,  and  that 
he  might  pass,  without  further  examination. 

The  parties  interested  kept  the  secret  just  as  long  as  it 
was  their  interest  to  do  so,  and  then  let  it  out.  It  is  said, 
that  fellow  hated  the  sight  of  a  tin  pedlar's  wagon,  as  long 


36  G  R  E  E  N  -  M  0  U  N  T  A  I  N     GIRLS. 

as  he  lived,  and  never  looked  at  anything  black,  without 
thinking  of  lamp-black. 

One  of  the  smugglers'  tricks  that  proved  successful  for  a 
long  time,  was  known  among  themselves  as  "  the  hardware 
business."  It  was  almost  as  cunning  as  the  device  of  the 
grindstone.  Lying  to  the  eastward  of  the  new  settlement 
where  Deacon  Brandon's  distillery  was  located,  was  an 
unbroken  forest  extending  to  the  Connecticut  river,  some 
twenty-five  miles,  without  a  single  road  leading  into  Canada. 
Whoever  knew  a  Yermont  forest  forty  or  fifty  years  ago, 
need  not  be  told  that  such  a  tract  offered  a  more  effectual 
barrier  to  the  smugglers  than  a  small  army  of  customs 
officers.  It  was  mountain,  hill,  valley,  swamp,  lake  and 
stream,  interspersed  with  thickets  almost  impenetrable,  and 
an  occasional  windfall  of  monster  pines,  cedars,  hemlocks, 
firs,  beach  and  maple  trees-,  which  all  abound  in  that  region. 
In  summer,  the  streams  are  too  high  to  ford  ;  in  winter, 
when  bridged  by  ice,  the  snow  generally  lies  three  to  five 
feet  thick  on  a  level,  or  in  drifts  five  times  as  deep.  This 
tract  it  was  not  thought  necessary  to  guard,  and  yet  through 
such  a  barrier  many  thousands  of  dollar's  worth  of  goods 
found  their  way  to  the  settled  portion  of  the  state.  The 
smugglers  worked  out  a  road  from  the  inhabited  portion  of 
Canada,  extending  several  miles  over  the  line,  ostensibly  for 
the  purpose  of  hauling  pine  shingles  from  some  good  timber 
about  the  termination  of  the  road.  From  them  several 
blind  paths  led  south,  which  could  only  be  followed  through 
the  woods  by  those  who  knew  the  secret  marks  ;  but  there 
were  a  few  who  did  know  them,  and  travelled  them  in  sum- 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN'      GIRLS.  37 

mcr  with  nicely  laden  pack  horses,  and  in  winter  upon  snow- 
shoes,  dragging  hand-sleds  over  the  deep  snow.  Arriving 
in  the  night,  oat  upon  the  travelled  roads,  they  knew  very 
well  where  to  go  to  "hole  up,",  until  by  some  trick  they 
.could  fool  the  officers  so  as  to 'get  their  goods  far  enough 
away  from  the  line  not  to  be  suspected,  or  stopped  and 
searched  as  they  travelled  south,  "  to  Boston  and  a  market." 

Deacon  Brandon's  old  still  house,  though  for  a  long  time 
unsuspected,  was  one  of  their  harbors,  and  one  of  the 
ingenious  plans  for  secreting  goods  was  inside  of  whisky 
barrels.  A  cask  filled  with  merchandize  was  fixed  in  the 
centre  of  a  barrel,  and  headed  up,  and  then  the  space  filled 
with  whisky,  and  thus  carried  openly  through  the  country. 

If  the  driver  met  an  officer,  he  out  with  his  gimblet,  and 
tapped  every  barrel,  and  let  him  taste  to  satisfy  him  that  it 
was  nothing  but  the  pure  domestic  article.  The  plan 
worked  well  until  one  day  an  "  old  fox,"  as  he  was  called, 
insisted  upon  knocking  out  the  bung  and  trying  the  liquor 
with  a  proof  glass.  Ever  since  that,  whisky  has  been 
known  under  the  flash  name  of  "  hardware,"  because  the 
interior  cask  proved  to  be  filled  with  that  kind  of  valuable 
goods. 

Dr.  Field,  whose  glory  was  to  outwit  a  customs  officer, 
declared  that  he  would  run  a  load  of  "  hardware  "  in  spite 
of  the  cunning  of  all  the  old  foxes  between  there  and  the 
Connecticut  line.  For  this  purpose  he  had  a  tin  tube  fixed 
through  the  centre  of  the  hardware  cask,  directly  opposite 
the  bung,  so  that  a  proof  glass  might  be  dropt  to  the 
bottom,  and  find  nothing  but  whisky. 

\ 


38  G  B  E  E  N  -  M  0  U  N  T  A  I  \      GIRLS. 

This  is  a  kind  of  "  hardware  "  that  has  slain  its  thou 
sands,  and  tens  of  thousands  more  than  the  sword.  It  is  a 
hardware  that  makes  hard  fare  for  all  who  use  it,  and  often 
leaves  but  little  to  wear  upon  the  backs  of  those  who  put 
an  enemy  in  their  mouth,  to'  steal  away  their  brains.  It  is 
no  wonder,  in  view  of  the  many  "  hard  cases"  made  by  its 
use,  that  the  stuff  should  be  called  "  HARDWARE." 

At  the  time  our  story  commenced,  almost  every  one  of 
the  sweet  valleys  of  those  dear  evergreen  hills,  had  its  own 
pandemonium.  It  was  generally  a  log  building,  set  into  the 
side  of  a  hill,  from  which  a  stream  of  one  of  those  sweetest- 
springs  in  the  world,  of  pure  water,  clear,  sparkling  water, 
from  a  gushing  Green  mountain  fountain,  was  conducted 
into  the  "  mash  tubs "  of  the  upper  loft,  and  there  mixed 
with  the  meal,  or  mashed  potatoes,  to  stand  until  it  took  on 
the  incipient  stages  of  decomposition,  when  it  was  run  out 
into  a  copper  still,  through  rough  wooden  troughs,  the 
"  mash "  much  resembling  swill  for  hogs,  and  the  troughs 
always  reminding  one,  of  those  in  which  those  filthy  brutes 
are  usually  fed. 

In  the  lower  room  the  fire  is  kept  up,  and  the  steam  of 
the  seething  mass  of  corruption  in  the  copper,  sends  up 
through  a  goose  neck  on  the  top  of  the  cap,  its  stream  of 
poison  steam,  which  being  condensed  in  a  coil  of  hollow^ 
pipe,  fixed  in  a  cask  of  water,  comes  down  into  a  barrel  set 
to  catch  the  drip  of  the  pipe,  technically  called  a  worm. 
Truly  we  may  call  it  the  gnawing,  consuming  worm  of  the 
still. 

Here  in  the  lower  regions,  half  under  ground,  the  room 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  39 

filled  with  smoke  and  steam  of  whisky,  fire,  and  tobacco, 
might  ever  be  seen  night  or  day,  half  a  dozen  of  the  neigh 
bors,  who  had  just  dropt  in  to  inquire  the  news,  or  to  see 
how  the  still  was  turning  out,  or  just  to  take  the  least  taste 
in  the  world  of  the  "  pure  stuff,  hot  and  fresh  from  the 
fountain  of  life."  Fountain  of  life  !  Why,  it  is  the  very 
abode  of  death. 

Here,  as  appendages,  in  the  shape  of  firemen,  wood-chop 
pers,  inash-tubbers,  hog-feeders,  were  always  to  be  seen  the 
last  remains  of  half  a  dozen  old  "  hard  cases,"  with  sore 
eyes  and  bloated  visages,  full  of  wild  blasphemies  and  obsce 
nities,  and  yet,  notwithstanding  that  the  palpable  evidence 
of  the  effect  of  the  habitual  use  of  this  liquid  devil  pouring 
out  of  that  worm  was  before  them,  men  in  respectable 
standing  would  come  here  to  tempt  the  tempter  to  make 
themselves  like  one  of  those. 

Deacon  Brandon's  still,  before  alluded  to,  was  just  such  a 
place  as  this,  and  one  of  the  largest  manufactories  of  "hard 
ware,"  as  well  as  a  store-house,  or  hiding-place,  for  those 
who  dealt  in  such  wares. 

Distilling  in  Vermont,  over  forty  years  ago,  was  not  con 
sidered  a  disreputable  business  ;  but  the  time  has  come 
when  it  would  not  be  taken  as  a  mark  of  distinction  worthy 
of  credit,  for  a  deacon  to  proclaim  himself  a  distiller  of  cider 
brandy,  or  rye  whisky,  or  what  is  still  more  fiery,  and  at 
that  day  very  common  among  the  early  settlers  of  the 
Green  Mountains,  whisky  made  of  potatoes,  upon  which  it 
was  said  that  a  man  could  get  drunk  three  times  a  day,  and 


40  Q  R  E  E  N  -  M  0  U  N  T  A  I  X      GIRLS. 

burn  himself  up  three  times  as  quick,  as  with  any  otlior  fiiv. 
water  ever  concocted  in  the  witches'  cauldron. 

In  that  day,  particularly  in  a  new  country,  drinking  was 
almost  universal  ;  but  the  time  has  come  when  ministers  of 
the  gospel  do  not  deem  it  essentially  a  part  of  neighborly 
hospitality,  to  treat  their  evening's  guests  to  a  mug  of  flip, 
as  my  worthy  old  grandfather  always  did.  The  time  has 
come,  when  it  is  neither  respectable  nor  fashionable  in 
Vermont  to  get  drunk.  But  then  the  still-house  was  a  sort 
of  neighborhood  exchange,  and  amid  the  social  gatherings 
of  such  a  place,  many  a  good  man  was  ruined.  Here  it 
was  that  the  father  of  one  I  shall  introduce  to  the  reader 
directly,  met  his  death,  in  a  drunken  scuffle  with  one  of  his 
neighbors,  leaving  his  wife  and  only  child,  Alida,  to  strug 
gle  against  poverty,  for  his  habits  had  reduced  him  from  a 
state  of  affluence  to  a  little  farm,  loaded  with  debt  and 
mortgaged  to  the  distiller,  and  an  only  daughter,  betrothed 
to  the  distiller's  son. 

It  was  in  just  such  a  place  as  this  that  Nat  Brandon  had 
spent  his  youth,  and  acquired  habits  which  the  widow 
Blythe  foresaw  would  bring  ruin  upon  her  daughter.  And 
yet  she  did  not  know  one  half  of  the  iniquity  of  Deacon 
Brandon's  distillery.  She  did  not  know  that  every  night, 
after  honest  folks  were  in  bed,  Nat  Brandon,  Blythe 
White — a  pampered  son  of  her  old  pastor — Scale  Williams, 
John  Longwood,  and  two  or  three  others  of  the  young 
scions  of  first  families,  and  some  others  who  lacked  that 
mark  of  respectability,  were  engaged  around  the  gambling 


G  R  E  E  N  -  M  0  U  NT  T  A  I  X     GIRLS.  41 

table,  which  was  a  board  laid  upon  two  barrels,  upon  one 
end  of  which  stood  the  hot  stew  of  whiskey  and  sugar  ;  and 
that  this  same  board  was  often  loaded  with  roasted  turkeys, 
ducks,  geese,  chickens,  stolen  from  neighboring  hen-roosts. 

These  were  little  crimes,  to  which  drinking  always  leads, 
and  the  larger  ones  are  sure  to  follow.  They  did  follow. 
One  of  them  was  perpetrated  upon  a  poor  drunkard's 
daughter,  half  idiotic,  who  was  sent  by  her  father  to  fill  the 
little  old  earthen  jug,  such  as  we  have  often  seen  going  the 
same  road,  carried  by  a  string  tied  round  the  neck,  and 
stopped  with  a  corn-cob  in  place  of  a  cork. 

The  father  was  aroused  by  this  outrage  upon  his  daughter, 
and  went  to  the  still-house  to  take  vengeance  upon  the  ruf 
fians,  but  what  he  said,  or  what  they  did  is  unknown,  for 
the  next  day  a  coroner's  jury  said  he  "  died  by  the  visita 
tion  of  Providence."  This  saved  any  unpleasant  circum 
stances  to  the  "  young  gentlemen"  who  made  Deacon  Bran 
don's  old  distillery  their  nightly  rendezvous,  though  it  did 
not  stop  a  rumor  that  Mike  Granly,  a  sort  of  Paul  Pry 
boy,  peeped  through  a  crack  into  the  still-house,  and  saw 
"the  boys,"  as  the  young  men  were  called,  pouring  hot 
whisky  through  a  funnel  down  the  throat  of  poor  old  Zef 
Tharp,  till  he  was  so  drunk  that  he  could  not  walk,  and 
then  they  carried  him  out  and  laid  him  in  the  snow  bank, 
where  he  was  found  frozen  to  death  the  next  morning. 

It  was  no  wonder  that  the  widow  Blythe  was  unwilling 
that  her  daughter  should  marry  such  a  young  man,  as  she 
knew  that  Nat  Brandon  must  be,  notwithstanding  he 
belonged  to  "  one  of  the  first  families  in  the  town." 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN'      O  I  R  L  S  . 

Alida's  father  had  been  one  of  the  first  men  of  his  native 
town,  a  wealthy  merchant  of  one  of  the  sweetest  villages 
of  Connecticut,  where  his  family  had  lived  in  comparative 
splendor,  but  which  they  had  been  obliged  to  relinquish  in 
consequence  of  a.failure  in  business,  brought  about  by  the 
effects  of  the  generous,  noble  nature  of  his  disposition,  and 
unfortunate  habit  of  indulging  in  strong  drinks,  and  keep 
ing  a  free  table  for  a  host  of  friends  of  the  same  character, 
so  far  as  the  indulgence  in  the  habit  of  intoxication  was 
concerned. 

With  just  enough  left  of  his  wealth  to  procure  a  small 
piece  of  land  in  the  then  new  country,  and  great  place  of 
emigration,  the  north  part  of  Yerrnont,  he  moved  there  and 
located  his  family  in  a  log  cabin,  arid  went  to  work  with 
a  will,  to  clear  off  a  farm,  among  the  hemlocks,  and  other 
monster  trees,  which  grow  on  the  strong  soil  of  that  part  of 
the  state.  In  this  he  would  have  suceedcd,  for  during  the 
four  or  five  first  years,  he  had  abstained  from  drinking,  but 
then  most  unfortunately  for  him,  Deacon  Brandon  put  up 
his  distillery,  where  the  fumes  came  directly  across  poor 
Blythe's  clearing,  every  time  the  wind  blew  from  the 
north. 

"  My  dear  Alida,  said  Mrs.  Ely  the,  one  day,  I  am  afraid 
to  give  my  consent  for  you  to  marry  Nat  Brandon.  His 
father  " 

"  Why,  mother,  what  can  you  say  of  his  father,  deacon 
of  our  church,  and  " 

"  Yes,  and  owner  of  a  distillery,  and  father  of  a  son  who 
undoubtedly  will  die  a  drunkard ;  and  I  have  a  presenti- 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  43 

ment  that  if  Alida  Blythe  marries  him,  she  never  will  be 
blithe  again." 

"  Oh  !  mother,  how  can  you  say  so.  Bat  pray  do  not 
object  now;  you  know  he  has  his  father's  consent,  and  you  as 
much  as  told  the  old  deacon,  that  you  would  give  yours, 
and  so  the  day  has  been  fixed  upon." 

"Yes,  I  acknowledge  that  I  did  not  object  to  him  as  I 
should  have  done  ;  but  how  could  I  tell  the  man  from  whose 
hands  I  receive  the  wine-cup  at  communion,  that  I  objected 
because  his  son  indulged  in  an  article  manufactured  by  his 
own  father  ?  I  thought  it,  but  I  had  not.  independence 
enough  to  speak  it." 

"  Why  should  you  speak  it  ?  I  am  sure  that  Nat  is  no 
worse  than  all  the  young  men  ;  they  all  drink  a  little  at  such 
times  as  Fourth  of  July,  and  at  huskings,  and  quiltings,  and 
sleigh-rides,  and  nobody  thinks  any  the  worse  of  them.  I 
am  sure  it  is  fashionable,  and  I  don't  think  it  would  look 
very  well  for  a  girl  to  say  that  she  would  not  marry  a  man 
because  he  sometimes  took  a  social  glass.  You  know, 
mother,  everybody  uses  it ;  there  is  parson  White,  our  good 
old  minister,  always  has  a  mug  of  flip  for  us  when  we  go  to 
spend  a  winter's  evening  with  him.  If  there  was  anything 
wrong  in  it,  I  am  sure  he  would  not  use  spirituous 
liquor." 

"  Wrong,  Alida!  can  you  see  nothing  wrong  in  it  ?  Have 
you  forgotten  the  death  of  your  own  father  ?" 

"  No,  mother,  but  that  was  an  extreme  case.  Yery  few 
die  as  he  did.  And  you  know,  mother,  what  a  very  good 
father  he  was when  he  did  not  drink.  Nat  has  never 


44  GREEN-MOtJNTTAINT      GIRLS. 

,  been  overcome,  only  once  or  twice,  and  be  promises  that  he 
never  will  get  so  after  we  are  married," 

"  Yes,  I  know  he  does,  but,  notwithstanding  his  pro 
mises,  he  never  can  get  my  consent,  and  if  he  marries  my 
daughter  without  a  thorough  reform,  it  will  be  without  my 
approbation." 

"  Why,  mother,  we  have  fixed  the  day,  and  you  would 
not  have  me  break  my  engagement,  would  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  until  he  not  only  promises,  but  actually  reforms." 

This  conversation  took  place  forty-three  years  ago  this 
very  month  of  .March,  1855. 

There  have  been  great  changes  in  the  world  since  that 
day. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  45 


CHAPTER   II. 

Vermont  in  Olden  Times— Times  Past  and  Present— Poor  Hike ;  a  Poor  Boy,  but 
not  a  Poor  Character — How  "  Outcasts  "  are  Made — A  Scene  with  Mike  and 
Alida — A  Letter,  and  its  Contents — Gratitude  Illustrated — Conspiracy  overheard, 
and  Villainy  Frustrated — Murder  Attempted — An  Escape — Tapping  the  Hard 
ware — Scenes  with  "Old  Fox,"  the  Custom  House  Officer,  and  the  Wagoner — 
Smugglers'  Tricks — The  Cunning  of  Old  Fox  Outwitted  by  Dr.  Field— The  First 
and  Last  Kiss. 

IF  Yermont,  in  the  year  1812,  had  had  the  same  law  it 
has  in  1855,  Theron  Ely  the  had  not  died  of  poison  imbibed 
from  Deacon  Brandon's  distillery,  and  Mrs.  Blythe  a  year 
after  would  not  have  been  pleading  with  her  daughter  not 
to  marry  the  distiller's  son. 

Oh  how  the  spirit  of  the  mother  rejoices  now  as  it  looks 
down  upon  that  State  to  see  what  a  change  has  come  over 
the  land. 

The  death  of  her  husband  had  left  her  to  struggle 
through  life  with  an  only  child,  left  dependent  upon  her 
by  the  early  death  of  the  husband  and  father,  who,  by 
industry,  sobriety,  and  close  attention  to  business  during 
the  few  years  of  their  residence  in  that  new  country,  and 
by  the  increase  which  improvement  and  settlement  always 
gives  to  the  value  of  new  land,  would  have  soon  made  them 
comfortably  and  independently  situated  in  a  quiet  home, 


46  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

where  she  had  hoped  to  enjoy  the  presence  of  her  daughter 
a  few  years  more  at  least,  but  above  all,  before  she  should 
throw  herself  into  the  arms  of  a  man,  of  whom  Mrs. 
Blythe  seemed  to  have  a  presentiment  of  evil. 

But  to  all  her  mother's  arguments,  Alida  had  one  reply, 
that  Nat  was  one  of  the  most  respectable  men  of  her 
acquaintance,  against  whom  her  mother  could  not  bring  one 
single  charge,  except  that  he  did  just  as  every  other  young 
man  in  the  country  did  ;  and  then  she  would  inquire  "  if  her 
mother  expected  her  to  wait  for  that  miracle  to  happen,  a 
suitor  who  never  indulged  himself  in  what  all  his  companions 
did — a  moderate  use  of  alcoholic  beverages  ?" 

This  was  almost  an  unanswerable  argument,  for  at  that 
period,  the  Washiugtonian  reformation  had  not  commenced  : 
Sons  of  Temperance  were  truly  a  "  secret  society,"  for  the 
secret  of  their  existence  and  their  power  to  do  good,  if  no 
other  than  to  furnish  just  such  girls  with  a  miracle  in  the 
shape  of  a  husband  who  did  not  indulge  in  what  was  sup 
posed  to  be  so  very  harmless — moderate  drinking — had  not 
yet  been  developed. 

At  that  day,  if  a  man  had  advocated  a  probibitory  law, 
he  would  have  been  read  out  of  church  by  the  members, 
and  pelted  with  rotten  eggs  by  the  outsiders.  Or  if  he  had 
predicted  that  in  less  than  half  a  century  the  people  of  the 
State  of  Vermout  would  pass  such  a  law,  he  would  have 
been  arrested  upon  a  complaint  of  lunacy,  and  overseers 
appointed  to  keep  him  from  "  fooling  away  his  property"  in 
such  a  hopeless  crusade  as  that  of  stopping  good  old  Deacon 
Brandon,  and  all  his  kith  and  kin,  from  poisoning  his  neigh- 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  41 

bors,  destroying  -such  useful  men  as  Theron  Blythe,  or 
murdering  such  worthless  ones  as  Zef  Tharp. 

But  tli at  change  has  come,  and  such  "  Green-Mountain 
Girls"  as  Alida  Blythe  can  find  husbands,  though  they  do  not 
always  choose  such,  who  do  not  even  indulge  in  a  "  social 
glass,"  who  are  not  "inveterate  drinkers,"  and  who  do  not 
on  "  extraordinary  occasions,"  get  drunk. 

But  that  was  not  the  case  fifty  years  ago,  and  Nat 
Brandon  was  as  good  as  his  fellows,  so  far  as  Alida  could 
see,  and  the  son  of  one  of  the  most  respectable  men,  and  inti 
mate  companion  of  the  son  of  the  pastor  of  "our  church," 
and  withal,  a  gay,  fine  looking  young  man,  full  of  express 
ions  of  the  most  ardent  affection  and  enduring  love,  to  the 
sweet,  confiding,  innocent  Alida,  then  nearly  twenty-one 
years  old,  and  as  unsuspecting  of  man's  perfidy,  as  her  own 
pet  fawn,  which  she  had  found  in  the  woods,  and  brought, 
nestled  upon  her  bosom,  from  its  forest  home  to  her  own  ; 
where  now,  it  was  never  so  happy,  as  when  following  her  in 
all  her  walks,  or  when  she  sat  down  upon  the  grass,  laying 
by  her  side  with  its  head  in  her  lap. 

It  was  while  thus  situated  one  day,  that  she  received  a 
visit  from  Mike  Granly,  who,  as  the  neighbors  said,  was 
always  everywhere,  and  to  whom  all  the  hen-roost  robberies 
were  sure  to  be  charged  ;  and,  of  course,  all  the  melons  and 
fruit  stolen,  were  not  stolen  by  Blythe  White,  Nat  Brandon, 
Scale  Williams,  or  John  Longwood,  and  other  scions  of 
"  first  families,"  so  long  as  there  was  a  Mike  Granly,  to 
bear  their  sins,  like  the  scape-goat,  into  the  wilderness  of 
oblivion. 


48  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

Poor  Mike  ;  undoubtedly  he  was  sometimes  guilty  of 
little  peccadillos,  but  did  it  never  occur  to  his  accusers  that 
he  must  have  had  the  stomach  of  au  elephant,  and  digestive 
powers  of  an  ostrich,  to  dispose  of  all  the  eatables  and 
drinkables,  laid  to  his  charge.  Fatherless  and  motherless, 
neglected  and  abused,  with  no  one  to  care  for  him,  and  no 
one  to  speak  a  kind  word  for  him,  is  it  any  wonder  that  he 
should  be  an  outcast  from  society,  when  all  its  members 
seemed  intent  upon  making  him  so.  Had  some  one  taken 
him,  and  given  him  a  home  and  instruction,  and  acted  the 
part  of  a  father  towards  him,  he  would  have  made  a  good 
member  of  society,  for  he  had  a  good  and  grateful  heart. 
It  was  this  that  had  brought  him  here  at  this  time.  All 
the  morning  he  had  been  watching  an  opportunity  ;  hoping 
Alida  would  come  out  as  she  frequently  did,  to  sit  and  read, 
or  work,  by  the  side  of  a  rock,  upon  each  side  of  which 
there  was  a  rural  seat,  one  constructed  upon  the  sunny  side 
for  winter,  and  one  upon  the  other  in  the  shade  for  summer  ; 
an  overhanging  projection  serving  as  a  roof  in  case  of  a 
sudden  shower.  It  was  a  romantic  place,  a  favorite  spot, 
and  it  had  been  made  clear  and  pleasant  by  the  unsolicited 
labor  of  Mike,  and  he  had  done  it  out  of  pure  love  of  doing 
good  to  one  who  had  always  been  kind  to  him,  and  had 
always  spoken  to  him  as  though  she  supposed  he  was  pos 
sessed  of  a  heart  and  soul  like  her  own  By  the  side  of 
this  very  rock,  she  had  spent  hours,  days,  weeks,  months, 
if  all  the  hours  were  counted,  in  (caching  lessons  to  Mike, 
that  he  could  not  learn  at  the  old  log  school-house,  down 
by  hemlock  pond  ;  because,  as  he  was  nobody's  son,  nobody 


"  It  was  a  i-o.iianiic  place,  a  favored  spot,  and  it  liau  been  made  clear  and 
pleasant  by  the  unsolicited  labor  of  Mike,  and  he  had  done  it  out  of  pure  love  of 
doing  good  to  one  who  hud  spent  hours,  days,  weeks,  months,  if  all  the  hours  were 
counted,  in  teaching  him  lessons  <hat  he  could  not  learn  at  the  old  log  school- 
IIOIHC,  down  by  hemlock  pond. — PAGE  48. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  49 

cared  whether  he  went  to  school  or  not,  and  if  he  did,  none 
of  the  nobodies  who  taught  the  school  for  "eight  dollars  a 
month,  and  boarded  round,"  felt  under  any  obligation  to 
teach  him,  because  he  had  no  rich  father  to  pay  his  school 
ing,  and  furnish  board  ;  nor  widow,  with  a  pretty  daughter, 
to  furnish  courting  stock  for  the  school-master  ;  and  so 
Mike's  education  was  sadly  neglected,  until  taken  in  hand 
by  Alida,  who  found  him  such  an  apt  boy,  that  he  soon  got 
so  much  ahead  of  others  of  his  own  age,  that  when  he  went 
to  school  the  next  winter,  he  was  the  surprise  of  the  "  school 
committee-men,"  and  the  envy  of  the  "  big  boys,"  and 
finally,  when  he  proved  himself  an  over-match  for  the  eru 
dition  of  the  "  school-master,"  his  presence  became  so  hate 
ful  to  him,  that  he  "  declared  he  would  leave  the  school,  if 
that  intolerable  bad  boy,  was  allowed  to  attend." 

But,  as  he  could  not  ferret  out  any  one  thing  that  he  had 
done,  except  to  tell  boys  things  that  the  teacher  could  not, 
the  committee  decided  that  they  could  not  discharge  him, 
although  they  expressed  the  opinion  "  that  it  was  to  be 
deplored  that  a  boy  like  Mike,  who  had  no  possible  way  of 
rising  in  the  world,  should  become  so  proficient  in  figures, 
and  such  an  excellent  penman,  as  it  might  enable  him  to  do 
a  great  deal  of  mischief  in  the  world."  Not  one  of  them 
said  to  the  other,  "  this  is  a  very  extraordinary  bright  boy, 
let  us  take  charge  of  him,  and  give  him  a  good  education, 
and  he  will  make  a  very  useful  man." 

Alida  had  been  seated  by  her  favorite  rock  some  minutes, 
so  deeply  engaged  in  reading  a  letter,  that  she  did  not  hear 

3 


50  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

Mike's  footsteps,  or  know  that  she  was  not  alone,  until  he 
spoke — 

"  Good  morning,  Miss  Blythe." 

She  started,  blushed,  and  tried  to  hide  the  letter  in  her 
book,  before  she  answered  the  salutation,  as  though  she  had 
been  caught  in  some  wrong  action.  At  length  she 
said  : — 

"  Why,  Mike,  is  that  you  ;  what  brings  you  here,  with 
your  formal  '  Miss  Blythe  ?'  You  have  forgotten  that  you 
asked  the  privilege,  and  that  I  cheerfully  granted  it  to  you, 
always  to  call  me  your  dear  Miss  Alida." 

"  Yes,  I  know  it,  and  shall  .always  feel  grateful  to  you, 
and  I  hope  I  shall  have  the  opportunity  frequently  to  call 
you  so,  but" 

"But  what?  What  will  hinder  you;  are  you  going 
away,  or  what  is  the  matter  ?  I  never  saw  you  look  so 
serious  before." 

"  Yes,  I  am  going  away  ;  I  would  have  gone  before  now, 
if  I  knew  where  to  go,  for  I  begin  to  feel  that  I  never  shall 
be  anything  here  ;  and  if  you  leave  the  valley,  I  shall  not 
have  a  friend  left  who  will  care  whether  I  am  dead  or 
alive." 

"  If  I  go  ?    Why,  what  do  you  mean,  Mike  ?" 

"  Oh  !  it  is  no  use  to  deny  it,  Miss  Alida,  you  were  read 
ing  that  letter  when  I  came  round  the  rock,  making  a  pro 
position  to  you,  to  go  off  with  Nat  Brandon,  into  Canada,  to 
get  married,  because  your  mother  is  so  much  opposed  to  the 
match  ;  and  it  is  that  which  has  brought  me  here  to  see 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  51 

you,  and  beg  you  not  to  go  ;  for  I  tell  you  harm  will  come 
of  it  if  you  do." 

"  Why,  how  you  talk;  what  do  you  know  about  the  letter?" 

"  Just  as  much,  as  though  I  wrote  it,  and  a  great  deal 
more  about  its  wicked  meaning  than  you  do.  It  is  a  trap 
for  you  !" 

"  A  trap,  Mike  ;  you  are  very  much  mistaken,  it  is  a 
very  honorable  proposition,  from  an  honorable  man,  and  it 
is  clear  that  you  know  nothing  about  it ;  and  I  am  afraid 
that  you  have  leagued  with  all  others,  who  are  throwing 
every  obstacle  in  the  way  of  my  happiness.  I  did  hope  that 
you  would  never  prove  ungrateful." 

"  And  I  never  will.  It  may  not  be  gratifying  to  hear 
the  truth,  but  if  I  tell  it  to  you,  that  does  not  prove  me  to 
be  ungrateful." 

"  But,  Mike,  you  do  not  know  anything  about  the  mat 
ter,  and  it  is  no  use  to  talk  about  things  you  cannot  under 
stand.  You  are  but  a  boy  ;  as  you  grow  up  you  will  learn 
some  things." 

"  Miss  Alida,  if  I  am  but  a  boy,  I  have  learned  some 
things  lately  that  I  can  understand,  and  I  did  hope  to  be 
able  to  make  you  understand  them  too,  but  I  find  I  am  an 
unwelcome  news-bearer." 

"  Well,  Mike,  what  is  the  news  ;  why  do  you  not  tell  it 
to  me,  if  it  is  of  any  consequence." 

"  Simply,  because  you  would  not  allow  me,  but  grew 
impatient,  and  told  me  that  I  knew  nothing,  or  did  not 
understand  anything  about  a  matter,  which  was  to  you  one 
of  the  most  importance  in  all  your  life." 


52  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

"  Well,  well,  I  will  not  get  impatient  again,  but  will  listen 
to  all  you  have  to  say,  and  then  if  it  is  true,  I  can  tell 
better  whether  you  know  anything  that  is  of  any  impor 
tance  to  me  or  not.  Now,  what  are  you  going  to  tell  me 
first,  of  your  budget  of  news,  that  will  prove  most  startling." 

"  I  will  tell  you  the  contents  of  that  letter  to  begin 
with." 

-  "  Ha !  ha !  ha !  well,  that  to  be  sure  would  be  news,  see 
ing  that  I  have  just  become  acquainted  with  its  contents 
myself,  and  if  you  have  ever  read  it,  it  must  have  been 
before  I  did,  and  so  your  news  would  be  like  that  of  some 
newspapers — always  of  a  second  hand  character." 

"Indeed,  I  never  saw  that  letter  before,  inside  or  out,  and 
the  glance  I  got  at  it  in  your  hand,  was  not  sufficient  to  give 
me  any  idea  of  the  handwriting.  I  only  know  it  was  blue 
paper,  such  as  the  smugglers  bring  from  Canada,  and  I 
know  that  Nat  Brandon  never  lacks  anything  that  they 
have,  and  some  folks  think  how  he  gets  his  goods.  But  no 
matter  about  that  now." 

"  No,  not  now  ;  but  if  you  will  tell  me  one  sentence  it 
contains,  I  will  listen  to  anything  else  you  have  to  tell." 

"  I  don't  know  as  I  can  tell  the  words,  but  I  will  tell 
you  who  wrote  it,  and  the  substance  of  the  contents." 

"  Very  well,  if  you  do,  I  will  even  show  you  the  letter, 
in  acknowledgment  of  your  correctness,  and  certainly  very 
remarkable  penetration." 

"  I  will  not  ask  that  ;  I  will  take  your  word.  First, 
then,  it  was  written  by  Nat  Brandon,  and  it  states  that  he 
has  had  an  interview  with  your  mother,  and  she  has  posi- 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  53 

tively  refused  her  consent  to  your  marriage,  at  least  at 
present,  and  that  his  father  now  has  got  his  back  up  ;  that 
is  the  word." 

"  So  it  is.  By  whatever  way,  witchcraft  or  otherwise, 
you  have  got  your  information,  you  are  certainly  in  posses 
sion  of  the  secret.  There,  take  the  letter  and  read  it — read 
aloud,  and  then  I  will  hear  what  you  have  to  offer. 

"  MY  DEAR  ALIDA  : 

"You  are  the  only  one  of  your  sex  I  ever  loved  as  I  do  you — the 
only  one  I  ever  felt  as  though  I  could  marry,  love,  cherish,  and'  live 
with  forever.  Oh !  I  cannot  live  without  you — will  not  live — if  I 
am  to  be  deprived  of  my  fondest  anticipations  for  years  past.  I 
have  often  told  you  that  I  loved  you  better  than  my  own  life,  that  I 
could  live  with  and  for  you,  and  die  for  you,  but  that  I  could  not 
live  without  you  :  and  now  it  has  come  to  that  severe  trial. 

"I  have  just  had  an  interview  with  your  mother,  and  she  will  not 
give  her  consent,  at  any  rate,  not  yet  awhile,  and  will  not  promise 
that  she  ever  will. 

"  This  I  told  to  father,  and  now  he  has  got  his  back  up,  and  says  I 
ought  to  be  ashamed  of  myself  to  offer  to  marry  the  daughter  of  a 
man  who  died  drunk." 

"  Died  drunk  !  I  wonder  if  he  ever  thought  who  owned 
the  distillery  that  caused  your  father's  death.  Ashamed, 
indeed,  I  wish  he  was  half  good  enough  for  you,  but  he  is 
not.  And  I  do  not  believe  that  any  boy  that  is  brought  up 
to  the  business  of  whisky-making  can  ever  be  good,  until 
he  quits  the  debasing  occupation." 

"  Well,  well,  Mike,  never  mind  that  now — read  on." 

Michael  continued  the  letter  : 


54  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

''  So,  I  suppose  we  must  postpone  our  wedding  day  again." 

"  Again  1"  said  he,  in  astonishment,  "  why,  have  you  ever 
postponed  it  ?" 

"  Yes,  twice  before  ;  once  he  was  sick,  and  once  he  was 
called  away  very  suddenly  to  go  to  Canada." 

"  When  was  that  ?" 

"  That  was  the  time  when  his  father's  cattle  were  stolen." 

"Father's  cattle  stolen  1  Why,  Miss  Alida,  are  you 
really  so  unsuspecting  as  to  think  that  drove  of  cattle  were 
stolen,  and  driven  over  the  line  unknown  to  the  owner  ?" 

"  Certainly.  I  never  suspected  anything  else.  Were 
they  not  stolen  ?" 

"Bless  your  soul,  no.  I  helped  drive  them  away,  and 
Nat  went  over  to  get  the  money.  His  father  said  that  was 
of  much  more  importance  than  getting  married — he  could 
do  that  any  time." 

"Without  a  thought  of  the  sorrow  and  woe  of  hope 
deferred  it  might  cause  any  one  else  to  feel.  That  is  too 
much  the  opinion  of  all  men,  that  they  can  get  married  any 

X 

time." 

"  It  is  a  pity  that  some  of  them  do  not  always  put  it  off. 
I  wish  somebody  would,  for  your  sake." 

"Why,  Mike,  I  do  not  understand  why  you  are  so 
opposed  to  our  marriage,  since  it  has  been  determined  on 
so  long." 

"  On  your  part." 

"On  my  part.  What  is  the  meaning  of  that  ?  Is  it  not 
equally  so  on  his,  do  you  think  ?" 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      G  I  R  L  3  .  55 

"  No,  I  do  not  ;  I  know  it  is  not." 

"  Ah,  Mike,  you  are  mistaken.  Read  the  remainder  of 
the  letter,  and  you  will  see." 

"  I  know  what  it  is  ;  he  proposes  that  iu  consequence  of 
the  opposition  of  parents,  that  you  shall  go  over  the  line 
and  get  married  in  Canada.  Would  you  go  among  the 
enemies  of  the  country — go  among  the  people  we  are  fight 
ing  with,  to  solemnize  this  most  important  act  of  your  whole 
life  ?  Though,  if  it  was  really  to  get  married,  it  would  per 
haps  be  excusable  ;  but  take  care  Miss  Alida,  that  you  are 
not  deceived  in  this  as  much  as  you  are  about  the  deacon's 
loss  of  cattle." 

"  How  ?     What  about  them  ?" 

"  Why,  you  see  it  would  be  smuggling  to  drive  cattle  into 
Canada  to  feed  our  enemies,  and  so  those  engaged  in  the 
business,  go  down  iu  the  state  and  buy  them  and  drive  them 
up  here  on  the  Deacon's  farm,  and  then  the  first  dark  night 
the  folks  from  the  other  side  come  over  and  steal  them." 

"  Well,  Mike,  you  do  not  think,  I  hope,  that  any  one  will 
steal  me." 

"  What  better  than  stealing  would  it  be,  to  get  you 
over  there  and  have  that  scapegrace  son  of  good  old  Par 
son  White  to  act  the  counterfeit,  and  perform  the  ceremony 
of  marriage,  which  you  are  to  be  told  must  be  kept  secret, 
till  the  old  folks  get  reconciled  to  it." 

"  Oh,  Mike,  I  will  not  believe  that  the  world  holds  such 
wickedness.  You  are  making  up  this  story.  How  can  you 
invent  such  tales  ?" 

"  I  do  not ;  I  tell  only  what  I  know  ;  and  because  I  believe 


56  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

that  whisky  drinking  is  capable  of  making  men  brutes, 
worse  than  brutes,  and  guilty  of  crimes  that  would  have  put 
savages  to  the  blush." 

' "  Why,  Mike,  you  have  very  lately  become  a  strong  advo 
cate  of  temperance,  do  you  practise  as  well  as  you  preach  ?" 

"  I  hope  so,  and  if  I  do  not  forget  the  good  advice  of  you 
and  your  mother,  I  hope  I  always  shall." 

"  I  hope  so.  But  how  did  you  hear  what  you  have  told 
me  if  indeed  you  ever  did  ?" 

"Indeed  I  did,  and  I  will  tell  you  the  truth.  You  know, 
Miss  Alida,  what  a  poor  friendless  wretch  I  have  always 
been,  living  without  a  home,  sleeping  in  barns  in  summer, 
and  in  the  old  distillery  in  winter,  and  always  ready  to  do  a 
dirty  act  of  villainy  for  those  who  ought  to  teach  me  better  ; 
for  they  know  better,  than  to  corrupt  a  poor  boy,  who  never 
found  a  friend  until  he  fonnd  one  in  you  and  your  mother, 
who  have  opened  my  eyes  till  I  have  looked  upon  my  own 
nakedness  with,  as  much  shame  as  our  first  parents  did  upon 
theirs." 

"  Why,  Mike,  it  was  only  yesterday  that  you  acknow 
ledged  to  mother  that  you  had  been  drinking  again." 

"  I  know  it ;  and  whose  fault  was  it  ?  Who  tempted, 
coaxed,  ridiculed  and  made  fun  of  me  as  a  cold  water  boy 
• — a  reformed  drunkard — a  slave — under  the  influence  of 
petticoat  government — and  everything  to  prevail  upon  me 
to  drink — to  just  taste  it,  and  finally,  when  I  would  not,  they 
poured  it  down  my  throat,  and  then,  instead  of  sympathy 
for  me,  what  did  I  meet  with  ?  Everybody  says  there's 
Mike  Granley  drunk  again — so  much  for  his  promise  to  re- 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  57 

form.  Even  your  mother,  all  but  you,  reviled  me  for  getting 
drunk,  and  you,  yes  you,  would  not  believe  that  that  gang 
of  young  devils,  who  rob  and  murder — yes,  murder — have 
you  forgot  how  I  told  you,  that  old  Zep.  Sharp  died — that 
such  nice  young  men  as  Nat,  Blythe,  Scale  and  John,  and 
a  few  more  could  be  guilty  of  such  things.  You  would  not 
believe  that  they  made  me  drunk,  and  I  felt  as  though  it  was 
no  use  for  me  to  try  any  more  to  avoid  an  inevitable  fate  ; 
I  thought  I  would  go  over  to  the  old  still-house  and  drink 
enough  to  end  my  miserable  life." 
"  What  prevented  you  ?". 

"  What  I  heard.  My  love  for  you — your  mother — the 
debt  of  gratitude  I  owe  you — the  thought  of  how  your  father 
died  ;  how  I  used  to  go  and  get  his  bottle  filled  and  hide  it 
for  him  ;  and  then  I  thought  to  live  to  make  amends  for  my 
wicked,  miserable  drunken  folly.  All  this  run  through  my 
mind  while  I  lay  quirled  up  in  an  old  hogshead  in  one  corner 
of  the  still-house,  until  I  resolved  that  I  never  would  drink 
again,  and  I  would  keep  out  of  the  influence  of  those  who 
would  make  and  always  keep  me  a  drunkard.  And  with 
this  good  resolution  on  my  mind,  I  went  to  sleep,  thinking 
that  I  would  get  up  in  the  morning  and  leave  this  part  of 
the  country  without  letting  a  soul  know  where  I  had  gone  ; 
and  I  would  have  done  so,  but  when  I  waked  I  heard  your 
name — somebody  was  talking  about  you  ;  pretty  soon  I 
found  that  it  was  the  four  who  are  always  plotting  together 
and  I  listened  to  the  whole  plan  ;  how  Nat  was  to  write 
you  this  letter  ;  how  Blythe  White  was  to  personate  the 
minister  ;  and  when  you  thought  you  were  married,  as  a 

3* 


58  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

matter  of  course,  you  would  give  up  the  thousand  dollars 
left  you  by  your  grand-mother,  and  with  that  they  were 
going  into  a  grand  smuggling  operation,  and  make  a  for 
tune  for  each  of  them." 

"  Oh,  Mike,  I  cannot  believe  this  story.  You  have 
dreamed  it  all." 

"  I  wish  I  could  believe  so  ;  but  if  you  had  got  such  a 
thrashing  as  I  did,  you  would  be  satisfied  that  some  part 
of  my  night's  experience  was  not  a  dream." 

"  A  thrashing  1  What  for  ?  Who  thrashed  you  ?  Tell 
me  all  the  truth." 

"  All  of  them  ;  and  all  because  they  thought  I  had  over 
heard  their  conversation  ;  and  I  do  believe  that  they  would 
have  murdered  me,  for  they  had  got  the  bottle  ready  to 
pour  the  scalding  hot  whisky  down  my  throat  when  they 
were  interrupted,  and  then  they  made  me  get  down  upon 
my  knees  and  swear  that  I  had  not  heard  what  they  had 
been  talking  about." 

"  But  you  had,  Mike." 

"  I  know  I  had,  though  not  all ;  but  I  swore  to  save  my 
life  ;  and  perhaps  yours ;  was  that  wicked,  Miss  Alida  ?" 

"  Well,  well,  I  do  not  know  ;  it  is  too  nice  a  question  for 
me  ;  you  know  you  should  always  tell  the  truth." 

"  So  I  do ;  I  always  have  since  you  taught  me  how  much 
better  it  is  to  speak  the  truth  than  it  is  to  lie." 

"  How  were  they  interrupted  ?" 

"  By  the  arrival  of  Dr.  Field,  who  you  know  is  constantly 
engaged  in  the  smuggling  business,  and  Nat  and  the  old 
deacon,  and  the  rest  of  them  are  not  much  better.  The  doc- 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  59 

tor,  at  first,  I  think  did  not  know  me,  and  so  he  played, 
drunk,  and  pretended  that  he  had  just  stopt  to  get  a  drink ; 
but  I  knew  him,  and  knew  that  he  never  got  drank,  and 
that  if  I  could  only  get  him  to  recognize  me,  I  was  safe ;  for 
if  he  is  a  smuggler,  he  is  a  man,  and  one  of  the  best  sort  too. 

"  Presently  he  asked  Nat  if  the  whisky  he  had  engaged 
was  put  up,  and  Nat  said  'all  right,'  and  then  I  knew  what 
was  afoot,  for  that  is  a  countersign  among  the  smugglers. 

"  The  doctor  said  then,  '  I  will  take  it  down  to-night,  as 
my  wagon  is  coming  along  empty.'  I  thought  to  myself, 
then  I  will  go  in  the  same  conveyance  somehow,  if  I  can  get 
away  from  these  wretches. 

"  How  I  was  to  accomplish  this  I  did  not  see,  for  Scale 
and  John  held  me  fast,  and  I  knew  if  I  said  anything  they 
would  lie  me  down,  but  I  kept  a  bright  watch,  and  waited 
my  time. 

"  Nat  told  the  doctor  that  all  was  ready  but  that  that 
young  whelp  had  been  hiding  there,  and  had  probably  seen 
how  the  casks  were  fixed,  and  he  thought  they  had  better 
put  him  where  he  would  not  tell  tales. 

"  The  doctor  was  a  smuggler,  but  not  a  villain.  His  quick 
perception  however  saw  at  a  glance  that  he  might  as  well 
put  the  others  where  they  would  tell  no  tales,  so  he  said 
to  them  '  go  ahead '.  It  had  been  hinted  to  the  doctor,  that 
these  cronies  knew  more  of  the  death  of  old  Zef  Tharp  than 
they  would  like  to  tell,  and  it  occurred  to  him  that  he  was 
sometimes  entrusting  a  little  too  much  to  men  who  would 
not  be  any  too  good  to  tell  tales  upon  him,  whenever  they 
could  make  a  haul  large  enough  to  pay  cost ;  so  he  thought 


60  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

if  he  could  get  them  to  commit  themselves  in  an  attempt 
to  take  life,  he  could  hold  them  in  check  ever  after.  It  was 
for  this  that  he  said  '  go  ahead,  you  know  how  to  work  it 
I  suppose — all  right — give  him  a  drink — that'll  keep  him 
quiet — what  has  he  done  ?' 

"  '  Playing  the  spy,  and  that  is  death,  you  know,  in  our 
code.' 

"  '  True  I  but  have  you  ever  carried  it  so  far,  or  is  this  the 
first  case  ?' 

"  '  Oh,  no,  we  have  shut  up  ugly  mouths  before  this  one, 
about  the  old  still-house.' 

"I  really  began  to  think  now,  that  my  time  had  come." 

"  And  were  you  not  afraid  of  death,  Michael,  did  you 
beg  for  life  ?" 

"No  ;  why  should  I  ?  You  have  always  told  me  that 
God  is  just,  and  that  he  punishes  us  every  day  for  our  sins, 
and  that  after  death  we  shall  be  happy.  I  am  not  afraid  to 
die,  though  I  wish  to  live.  I  should  like  to  live  to  be  some 
body  in  the  world,  besides  the  poor,  friendless  beggar  boy 
I  have  always  been." 

"  Friendless,  Mike  ?     Friendless  ?" 

"  No,  no,  Miss  Alida  ;  I  take  that  back.  You  have 
always  been  a  friend  to  me  ;  you  have  taught  me  to  look 
up,  be  honest,  truthful,  kind,  and  then  I  shall  not  always  be 
the  poor,  despised  thing  I  ever  have  been,  ever  since  I 
can  remember  ;  just  because  I  was  poor  and  alone  in  the 
world,  everybody  but  you  is  always  trying  to  put  me  down, 
instead  of  lifting  me  up  and  helping  me  along  in  the  world. 
I  was  not  afraid,  because  you  have  always  told  me  not  to 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  61 

be  afraid  of  anything  but  my  own  wicked  acts  ;  and  as  I 
had  not  done  anything  wrong,  why  should  I  be  afraid  ? 
Still,  I  had  no  doubt  but  that  they  intended  to  take  my 
life  ?" 

"  Oh,  no,  it  must  have  been  only  to  frighten  you." 

"  Frighten  me  !  Alida  Blythe,  you  do  not  know  me. 
I  am  a  poor  boy,  one  that  society  calls  an  outcast,  but  I 
have  never  done  an  act  to  make  me  fear  death.  I  have 
never  plotted  the  ruin  of  an  unprotected,  virtuous  girl. 
That  is  a  crime,  by  the  side  of  which  murder  sinks  into 
insignificance.  That  was  a  crime  more  worthy  of  death 
than  the  one  they  pretended  that  I  had  been  guilty  of  ; 
overbearing  their  plottings  of  villainy." 

"  But  it  was  because  they  thought  you  had  learned  the 
secrets  of  smuggling." 

"  No,  it  was  not.  They  knew  full  well  that  I  knew  every 
one  of  the  company,  and  all  their  tricks,  and  could  blow 
them  any  moment,  if  I  would.  No,  it  was  not  that.  They 
had  not  packed  the  hardware  that  night,  and  knew  that  I 
could  not  inform  if  I  would,  but  they  thought  I  might  tell 
the  truth  to  you.  It  was  for  what  I  had  heard  about  you, 
that  they  wanted  to  put  me  out  of  the  way  ;  but  it  would 
not  tto  to  tell  Dr.  Field  that  story,  and  so  they  trumped  up 
the  other.  And  as  to  my  seeing  how  the  barrels  had  been 
filled,  I  don'kknow  that  it  would  be  a  crime  to  see  how  the 
thing  was  done,  but  it  is  a  crime  more  worthy  of  death 
than  some  for  which  life  is  taken,  to  fill  barrels  in  distille 
ries  with  such  stuff  as  they  are  often  filled." 

"Why  so?" 


62  GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

"  Because,  not  content  with  the  native  poison  of  the 
liquor,  the  most  virulent  poisons  are  added.  What  did 
Deacon  Brandon  want  of  twenty  pounds  of  Nux  vomica, 
the  stuff  that  we  use  to  kill  wolves  with,  that  I  got  for  him 
the  last  time  I  was  in  Montreal,  if  it  was  not  to  put  in  the 
•whisky  ?  I  could  tell  you  a  dozen  secrets  of  whisky- 
making,  that  would  make  you  stare,  I  guess." 

"  Well,  never  mind  that  now,  Mike,  but  tell  me  how  you 
got  clear  of  your  tormentors,  for  it  is  very  evident  that  they 
did  not  kill  you,  notwithstanding  you  appeared  to  me  just 
now  a  good  deal  like  a  spirit." 

"  Oh,  I  see  you  do  not  believe  that  they  intended  to  take 
my  life  ;  but  I  am  sure  they  would  if  it  had  not  been  for 
Dr.  Field  ;  for  they  talked  the  matter  all  over  with  him, 
how  easy  it  would  be,  as  I  was  a  drunken  scamp,  and  it  had 
been  often  predicted  that  I  should  die  some  day  just  like 
old  Zep  Tharp." 

"  '  Yery  likely — he  is  in  a  fair  way  for  it/  said  Dr.  Field. 

"  Somehow,  I  thought  there  was  something  in  the  tone 
of  his  voice  that  meant  more  than  they  understood  from  his 
words,  and  I  thought  I  might  appeal  to  him  and  save  my 
life.  Blythe  White  would  not  harm  me,  or  do  a  mean 
thing  when  he  is  sober,  but  when  is  he  ever  so  ?  He  is 
continually  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  and  as  easily 
managed  by  the  others  as  a  child.  He  does  just  what  they 
tell  him,  and  is  no  more  accountable  for  his  acts  than  any 
other  senseless  human  being  ;  only  that  he  has  no  business 
to  muddle  his  own  brain  and  destroy  his  reason,  and  the 
good  heart  that  God  gave  him.  Blythe  and  Scale  Williams 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  63 

were  holding  me,  and  John  Longwood,  or  Nat,  had  the 
bottle  ready  to  pour  the  scalding  liquor  down  my  throat." 

"  Oh,  not  Nat.  Say  it  was  not  Nat ;  he  would  not  do 
such  a  wicked  thing." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  about  that ;  he  had  a  hand  in  it  ; 
and  it  would  not  have  been  much  wickeder  than  the  plan  I 
had  overheard  about  you." 

"  Oh  !  I  cannot  believe  that — you  must  have  dreamed  it 
— but  how  did  you  get  away  ?" 

"  I  begged  for  my  life  and  prayed,  and  promised  to  leave 
the  country,  if  they  would  let  me  go  ;  but  it  was  no  use — 
they  were  drunk — and  what  avail  is  it  to  appeal  to  the  rea 
son  or  common  sense  of  drunken  men — crazy  drunk — for 
then  they  will  do  things  they  would  shudder  at  when  sober." 

"  That  is  true  ;  and  all  you  heard  about  me  must  have 
been  the  wild  concoctions  of  brains  maddened  by  liquor." 

"  I  should  like  to  know  if  such  brains  are  any  more  fit  to 
make  serious  proposals  of  marriage,  than  they  are  to  get  up 
wild  concoctions.  Oh  !  Miss  Alida,  have  a  care.  Listen 
while  I  repeat  your  own  words,  which  I  heard  you  use 
when  Scale  Williams  was  about  to  marry  Jane  Robinson. 

"  '  When  a  girl  begins  to  make  excuses  for  the  drunken 
ness  of  her  lover,  she  is  past  reasoning  with.  She  has  made 
up  her  mind  to  take  the  leap  in  the  dark,  and  trust  fate  for 
the  result.' " 

"  But  I  am  not  making  excuses  for  anybody.  You  are 
quite  mistaken,  Mike.  But  never  mind  that  now  ;  go  on 
with  your  story.  If  they  were  so  intoxicated  and  so  bad  as 
you  say,  I  do  not  understand  how  you  got  away  alive." 


64  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

"  I  told  you  Dr.  Field  was  there." 

"  Yes,  but  you  said  he  was  drunk  also." 

"No,  he  only  pretended  to  be  so.  And  he  did  not 
believe  at  first  that  they  intended  to  hurt  me  ;  but  when  I 
found  they  were  determined  to  pour  the  whole  bottlefull 
down  my  throat,  I  begged  them  to  give  me  time  to  say  a 
prayer — that  beautiful  prayer  that  yoiu  taught  me  to  say — 
but  Blythe  said,  '  Take  a  drink  first,  you  will  pray  all  the 

better.     My  father  never  prays  worth   a'  I  won't 

repeat  the  oath — '  until  he  gets  a  dram  ahead  ;  and  he 
always  takes  a  hot  whisky  punch  just  before  going  to  bed, 
and  then  the  way  he  prays  is  a  caution  ;  of  course  you  can 
not  refuse  to  follow  his  excellent  example  ;  so  open  your 
mouth — here  is  the  hot  whisky,  and  we  will  make  the 
punch  down  your  throat.' 

"  I  begged  and  prayed,  but  it  was  no  use,  till  at  length  I 
caught  the  eye  of  Dr.  Field,  and  then — I  don't  know  why — 
but  T  thought  he  looked  as  though  he  would  help  me  in  my 
emergency.  They  only  held  me  by  the  coat,  which  I  knew 
was  pretty  rotten.  I  made  a  spring,  leaving  the  collar 
with  them,  while  I  pitched  head  foremost  into  Dr.  Field's 
arms.  They  tried  to  pull  me  back  by  the  legs,  but  he  said, 
'  Hold  on — why,  who  is  this  boy  ?  Is  this  Mike,  my  old 
cattle  driver  ?  True,  I  would  trust  this  boy  with  a  million. 
He  brought  my  saddle  bags  once  all  the  way  from  Mon 
treal,  stuffed  with  money,  when  I  was  afraid  to  carry  them 
myself.  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  boys,  you  cannot  hurt  Mike, 
while  I  am  here.  Besides,  he  is  just  the  boy  I  want 
to-night.  I  want  him  to  go  down  and  tell  "  Old  Fox  "  that 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  65 

there  is  a  load  of  whisky  on  the  road,  and  that  there  is 
some  smuggling  going  on,  and  perhaps  he  can  make  a  haul 
if  he  keeps  a  sharp  watch.  I  will  tell  the  driver  to  try  to 
run  by,  aud  of  course  he  will  be  overhauled  and  then — I 
must  fool  that  fellow  once  more.' 

"So  after  a  long  talk,  they  concluded  to  let  me  off  this 
time,  but  if  they  ever  catched  me  about  the  old  still-house 
again,  '  Yes,  or  anywhere  else,'  Scale  Williams  whispered  to 
me,  '  curse  you,  I  will  cut  your  throat,  you  infernal  hound.'  " 

"  So  you  went  off  with  Dr.  Field  ;  and  how  did  he 
succeed  ?" 

"I  went  ahead  and  called  'Old  Fox'  up,  about  two 
o'clock  last  night,  and  told  him  just  as  the  doctor  instructed 
me  ;  that  I  had  been  asleep  in  an  empty  cask  in  the  still- 
house,  and  that  Dr.  Field  came  there  and  loaded  up  some 
barrels  of  whisky,  which  he  said  he  was  going  to  take 
down  to  Bellows  Falls,  and  I  thought  there  was  something 
queer  about  their  loading  it  in  the  night,  and  so  I  thought 
I  would  creep  out  sly  and  run  down  here  and  let  him 
know." 

"  '  Why,  Mike,'  says  he,  '  I  thought  you  belonged  to  the 
smugglers.  How  is  this  ?  you  need  not  come  here  thinking 
to  fool  me  with  your  made  up  stories,  I  am  not  a  bit  afraid 
of  their  trying  to  run  any  more  goods,  inside  of  whisky  bar 
rels.  I  have  cured  them  of  that  trick.  If  there  is  anything 
in  your  story  about  the  whisky,  it  is  only  a  decoy,  to  draw 
me  off  from  something  else  on  the  road.  But  I  rather  think 
the  whole  story  is  one  of  your  lies  ;  for  they  do  say,  you 
can  beat  the  father  of  lies,  at  his  own  trade.' 


66  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

"  Now,  Miss  Alida,  am  I  such  a  liar,  and  so  bad  a  boy  ?" 

"  No,  Mike  ;  to  me,  at  least  heretofore,  you  have  always 
been  truthful  ;  but  you  have  got  a  bad  name,  in  this  neigh 
borhood,  and  it  is  an  old  saying,  that  a  dog  may  as  well 
be  mad,  as  to  be  called  so." 

"  So  I  think  ;  and  that  it  is  no  use  to  try  to  win  a  good 
name  here,  and  I  mean  to  go  where  I  can — where  nobody 
will  call  me  a  bad  boy,  because  I  have  been  so.  I  should 
think  they  might  forget  old  scores,  and  let  me  be  good,  when 
I  try  so  hard  to  mend  my  life." 

"  You  forget,  Mike,  that  you  was  lying  last  night,  and 
helping  Dr.  Field  to  cheat  the  custom-house.  Smuggling  is 
a  crime." 

"  Yery  well,  1  did  not  want  to  do  it.  Dr.  Field  saved 
my  life,  and  I  felt  bound  to  do  all  he  asked  me.  Did  you 
not  tell  me,  that  gratitude  was  one  of  the  first  duties  of  a 
Christian  ?  Besides,  he  is  going  to  help  me  to  go  away 
from  here.  I  am  to  meet  him  to-night,  and  he  will  give  me 
money,  and  a  letter  to  his  brother,  in  York  State,  and  if  I 
live,  I  will  be  somebody  ypt,  when  these  old  still-house 
loafers  are  nobody  ;  see  if  I  don't.  I  should  have  kept 
right  on  last  night,  but  I  could  not  leave  the  valley,  with 
out  seeing  you  once  more,  perhaps  for  the  last  time  on  earth." 

"  Oh,  I  trust  we  shall  meet  again.  I  hope  you  have  not 
told  Dr.  Field  all  you  have  told  me  about  this  plot.  Oh,  I 
will  not  believe  it ;  you  must  be  mistaken.  But  never  mind 
that,  go  on  with  your  story  about  Old  Fox." 

"  '  And  if  I  do  find  it  is  a  lie,'  says  he,  '  I  will  give  you 
such  an  all-fired  licking  as  you  never  had  in  all  your  life, 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  67 

you  young  imp  of  Satan.  Hallo,  what  has  become  of  your 
coat  collar  ?  Been  robbing  some  hen-roost,  and  got  caught 
and  cleared  yourself  as  Joseph  did,  by  leaving  part  of  your 
coat  behind.  You  are  a  regular  scamp.  Why  dou't  you 
reform  ?" 

"Reform  !  now  tell  me,  Miss  Alida,  is  that  the  way  to 
reform  a  poor  boy  ?" 

"No  1  it  is  not.  It  is  the  way  to  harden  him  in  sin — to 
make  him  reckless —  to  make  him  feel  degraded  and  care 
less  of  what  he  does — to  make  him  think  it  is  no  use  to  try 
to  be  better,  as  he  gets  no  credit  for  it.  But  go  on," 

"Just  then,  we  heard  the  wagon  coming  down  spring 
hill,  and  I  said,  very  well,  if  I  have  not  told  you  the  truth, 
you  may  whip  me  to  your  heart's  content ;  but  not  as  hard 
I  hope,  as  they  did.'7 

"Oh,  oh  !  now  I  understand.  Some  of  the  smugglers 
have  been  giving  you  a  little,  of  what  you  need  a  great 
deal  of,  and  you  want  to  pay  them  off  with  a  little  ingrati 
tude.  Well,  revenge  is  sweet.  Here  is  a  dollar  for  you, 
and  if  it  turns  out  as  I  expect,  I  will  give  you  five." 

"So  we  started  off  down  the  road,  beyond  his  house, 
about  half  a  mile,  on  that  narrow  bridge,  and  squatted 
down  behind  a  log.  Pretty  soon  we  heard  the  wagoner 
creeping  along  by  the  house,  over  the  ridge,  and  just  as  he 
thought  he  was  far  enough,  belaid  on  the  whip,  and  said, 
'come  now,  make  up  for  lost  time  ;  old  fellows.'" 

"Oh,  said  Old  Fox,  you  thought  you  had  got  so  far  away 
that  the  rattle  of  the  wagon  wheels  would  not  waken  me. 
You  did  not  know,  I  suppose,  that  I  slept  on  this  bridge 


00  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

every  night  ?    Come  turn  about,  and  go  back  up  to 

1  can  store  your  load  for  you.' 

"  '  Why  cap'in,  I  ha'nt  got  nothing  under  heavens  but 
whisky — Deacon  Brandon's  whisky.  I  han't  been  to 
Canada — 'pon  my  honor.  You  may  sarch  every  barrel  in 
welcome.  I've  got  a  gimlet.' " 

"  '  Ha  !  ha  !  ha  1  You  are  very  green,  or  else  very  cute. 
You  are  a  new  hand  on  the  road,  that  is  certain.  No,  no, 
tapping  won't  do  ;  I  have  had  enough  of  that  game  ;  I 
must  have  the  bungs  out.' 

"  '.Why,  how  on  earth  are  you  going  to  do  that  ?  They 
a'n't  put  in  as  we  do  cider-barrel  bungs,  down  to  Randolph, 
with  some  husks.  And  I  don't  know  how  you'll  get  'em 
out,  'thout  you  bore  'em  out.  But  a'n't  tapping  just  as 
good  ?  I've  got  a  straw,  and  you  can  have  a  taste  all 
round  ;  but  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  squire,  I'll  be  blasted  to 
tarnation,  if  you'll  find  anything  but  whisky,  mind  I  tell 
you  ;  and  if  you  don't  find  anything  else,  I  'spose  you  will 
give  me  a  certificate  of  search,  won't  you  ?  that'll  pass 
along  down,  'cause  I  'spected  to  be  stopped  somewhere,  but 
the  boys  told  me  I  had  better  try  and  get  by  you  if  I  could, 
'cause  you  is  more  particular  than  some  on  'em.' 

"  '  They  do,  ha  !  Well,  there  is  need  of  it  with  some  of 
you  smugglers.' 

" '  Lord,  squire,  you  don't  mean  me,  I  hope  ;  I'm  no 
smuggler :  I  am  only  Jim  Arnold,  that  lives  down  to 
Randolph,  and  hadn't  much  on  hand  this  spring,  and  just 
thought  I'd  come  up  and  get  a  load  of  whisky,  and  make 
a  spec  out  of  the  job.  Ain't  that  all  right  ?' 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  89 

"  '  Oh  !  yes,  if  it  is  all  true.  But  I  can  soon  tell.  Is  this 
your  own  whisky  ?' 

"  Why,  sartain,  squire,  what  made  you  ask  that  ? 
Nothing  wrong  I  hope,  about  Deacon  Brandon  selling  it,  is 
there  ?  I  paid  good  money  for  it.  A  hundred  dollar  bill 
on  the  old  Hartford  Bank,  and  here  is  one  they  gave  me  in 
change ;  I  wish  you  would  look  at  that  by  your  lantern,  and 
see  if  it  is  good,  'cause  I'm  peskey  'fraid  of  your  money 
up  along  the  line  here.  They  do  say  old  Stephen  Burrows, 
makes  a  sight  of  it,  just  as  pretty  as  the  real  genuine.' 

"  '  Oh  !  yes,  that  is  good.  Now,  let  me  see  if  your 
whisky  is  equally  good  ;  let  me  have  your  whip.  I  can 
etart  these  bungs  with  the  butt-end  of  that  hickory  whip 
stock.  Mike,  hold  that  lantern.' 

"  At  it  he  went,  hammering  away,  and  started  all  the 
bungs,  and  tried  all  the  liquor  with  a  proof  glass,  and 
fastened  them  up  again,  and  said  he  believed  they  were  all 
right,  and  gave  the  fellow  a  certificate,  and  he  drove  on 
whistling,  while  we  plodded  back  to  the  house.  He  seemed 
surprised,  because  I  would  not  drink,  and  said  he  thought  I 
was  a  real  toper — everybody  said  I  was. 

"Just  as  we  got  up  to  the  gate,  we  met  Dick,  the 
squire's  hired  man. 

"  '  Why,  squire,  where  on  arth  have  you  been?  A  wagon 
has  just  gone  by,  and  turned  down  the  back  road  lick-a-ter- 
cut,  and  by  gum,  I  believe  it  was  Doctor  Field's  gray  mare. 
There  she  goes  over  the  bridge,  three  feet  up  at  once.' 

"  '  Confustou.  That  stupid  Randolph  fool  has  been  sent 
along  with  a  load  of  whisky,  just  to  draw  me  oif  the  track. 


70  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

What  a  ninny  I  must  have  been,  not  to  have  thought  of 
it  at  first.  Put  the  saddle  on  my  Jim  horse,  quicker  than 
lightning,  and  I  will  follow  him  ten  miles,  but  what  I  will 
have  him.  Come,  hurrah  1' 

"Down  he  went  to  the  bridge,  as  fast  as  he  could  ride,  but 
his  Jim  horse  would  not  go  on  He  whipped  and  kicked 
and  swore,  but  the  horse  would  not  move,  and  he  got  off  to 
see  what  was  the  matter,  and  there,  behold,  half  the  planks 
were  shoved  off  into  the  river.  Didn't  he  come  back  foam 
ing  mad.  He  never  suspected  me  though,  but  told  me  to 
go  to  bed  and  sleep  till  breakfast-time  ;  and  so  I  did,  and 
then  came  up  here  to  look  for  you. 

"  And  so  the  doctor  got  by  with  his  goods,  while  Old  Fox 
was  running  after  and  tasting  of  the  fellow's  whisky. 
That  is  about  as  much  good,  as  ever  comes  of  going  after 
the  wretched  products  of  the  still-house. 

"  As  to  that,  it  is  my  opinion  the  goods  after  all,  were  in 
the  whisky  barrels,  somehow,  or  else  what  did  them  fellows 
mean  by  telling  Doctor  Field,  that  I  knew  all  about  how 
they  were  fixed.  I  wish  I  did  ;  I  should  like  to  tell  Old 
Fox  that  he's  not  cunning  enough  to  catch  a  weasel 
asleep. 

"  I  don't  understand  about  these  tricks  of  smuggling. 
But  if  men  studied  half  as  hard  to  be  good,  as  they  do  to 
be  rogues,  we  should  have  very  few  of  the  latter.  I  do 
wish  we  had  peace  again,  for  it  appears  to  me  -the  times 
have  a  constant  tendency  to  make  everybody  dishonest,  and 
we  are  in  continual  fear  that  some  of  our  best<Wriends  may 
he  corrupted,  besides  the  woe  of  hundreds  of  widows  and 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  71 

orphans,  that  will  be  left  to  mourn  the  folly  of  this  wicked 
war." 

"  You  and  Nat  would  not  agree  very  well  upon  that 
point.  He  thinks  the  war  is  glorious,  and  prays  to  have  it 
continue,  and  so  does  his  father." 

"  Yes,  I  know  he  does.  That  is  the  only  point  upon 
which  we  disagree.  He  got  very  angry  at  me  about  what  I 
said,  one  day  last  week,  and  said  he  would  be  revenged 
upon  me.  I  laughed  at  him,  at  the  idea  of  being  revenged 
upon  a  woman,  because  she  had  the  best  of  the  argument. 
He  went  off  in  a  pet,  but  he  soon  came  back  again.  That 
is  the  way  with  all  the  men  ;  they  cannot  stay  away  from 
us,  Mike.  I  dare  say  you  will  be  just  so." 

"  I  hope  I  shall  never  be  like  him  ;  but  I  hope  if  you 
do  marry  him,  that  you  never  will  see  the  time  when  you 
will  want  to  come  to  me  for  a  shelter  :  but  if  you  do,  I 
hope  I  shall  have  it  to  give,  and  here  I  swear  by  this  rock, 
that  if  you  should  ever  be  in  want,  I  will  share  the  last 
crust  of  bread  with  you,  for  you  have  been  so  good,  so  kind 
to  me,  that  I  shall  always  feel  grateful — shall  always  love 
you  with  a  pure,  holy  affection,  though  we  may  never  meet 
again  on  earth.  Good  bye — God  bless  you  !" 

"  Michael,  why,  Michael  Granly,  you  are  not  going  so  ?" 

It  was  the  first  time,  perhaps,  that  he  had  ever  been 
called  so  kindly — affectionately,  by  his  proper  name.  He 
hardly  knew  that  he  had  any  name  but  Mike.  It  was 
something  new  for  him  to  be  spoken  to  in  such  a  kind,  real 
affectionate  rn*mer.  He  turned  to  look,  to  look  one  last, 
fond  look  at  the  only  being  who  had  ever  sympathized  with 


12  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

his  misery ;  and  snch  a  look  met  him  as  he  had  never  seen, 
nor  felt  before.  Yes,  felt,  for  looks  are  felt — he  felt  hers. 

He  felt  the  magnetic  power  of  a  tear  shed  for  him  at  the 
simple  word  "  good  bye."  It  was  the  first  he  had  ever  felt, 
and  it  went  down  with  magnetic  force  and  speed  into  his 
heart,  and  nestled  there,  and  from  that  moment,  Mike 
Granly  had  a  new  heart.  For  the  first  time  in  his  life  he 
felt  the  softening  influence  of  love — holy,  happy,  glorious 
love.  The  love  of  man,  for  an  angel.  He  knew  that  she 
was  in  a  sphere  above  him,  but  why  should  he  not  look  up 
to  her  and  love  her.  May  not  a  dog  look  up  and  love  his 
master  ?  How  often  has  the  slave  loved  him  who  had  the 
right  by  law  to  sell  his  body,  and  tear  that  affection  forcibly 
asunder,  for  a  whim,  for  revenge,  or  for  money,  to  lavish 
upon  some  other  slave.  Why  then  should  this  boy  not  look 
up  to  Alida  and  love  her  ?  She  was  but  five  years  his  senior. 
True,  he  was  a  poor,  friendless  boy  ;  but  he  had  a  heart, 
and  that  heart  was  a  human  one,  and  was  now  beating  with 
the  pulsations  of  early  manhood,  and  he  loved  an  angel  ; 
one  whose  every  act  had  taught  him  to  love  her,  and  now 
when  he  was  about  to  part  with  her  for  ever,  he  saw  the 
tears  coming  down  her  crimson  cheeks,  and  her  eyes,  those 
soft,  blue  eyes,  gave  him  such  a  look,  and  her  words  "you 
are  not  going  so,"  made  him  do  what  he  never  would  have 
dared  to  do,  under  any  other  circumstances. 

What? 

He  dropped  on  his  knee  by  her  seat — it  was  a  sudden 
impulse,  quick  as  thought,  and  as  quickly  executed.  It  was 
a  kiss  of  pure  affection,  springing  from  an  honest  heart. 


GREBN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  73 

Did  she  resent  it,  or  frown  upon  the  audacity  of  the  boy. 
No  ;  she  returned  his  kiss,  pressed  his  hand,  and  would 
have  said  good  bye,  but  before  she  could  find  her  voice,  he 
was  gone. 


74  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Another  actor  in  the  same  scene— Alida's  surprise— Interview  with  Dr.  Field— New 
developments — She  needs  a  friend,  and  finds  one  in  a  smuggler — Dissertation  upon 
distilling,  duty  and  death,  and  its  cause— Illustrations  by  the  opening  bud,  the 
Canada  thistle,  the  curling  smoke,  and  magnetic  power — A  kiss,  and  what  of  it. 

ALIDA  wiped  away  a  holy  tear,  and  looked  up  to  say  the 
parting  word  to  one,  who  she  felt  loved  her,  and  was  part 
ing  with  her,  perhaps  for  ever. 

But  Michael  had  already  gone  ;  and  she  uttered  a  scream 
of  surprise,  for,  in  the  place  of  that  poor  boy  stood  a  stran 
ger,  a  fine-looking  gentleman,  of  middle  age,  with  an  intel 
ligent  face,  and  keen  black  eye,  with  an  expression  of  that 
peculiar  sort,  that  seems  to  look  into  the  very  heart  of  who 
ever  it  is  fixed  upon. 

Alida  fairly  quailed  before  it,  and  sprang  to  her  feet,  as 
if  stung  by  a  rattlesnake  where  she  sat.  Michael  had  gone 
around  the  rock  one  way,  while  the  stranger  had  approached 
her  by  the  opposite,  so  that  neither  had  seen  the  other,  and 
Alida  had  thought  the  step  was  that  of  Michael,  for  she 
held  her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes,  and  did  not  know  for  a 
moment  after  Michael  had  left  her,  that  she  was  not  alone, 
till  she  heard  a  strange  voice  say,  "  Good  morning,  miss." 

It  was  no  wonder  that  she  started,  but  one  look  suffice'3 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  15 

to  tell  her,  that  she  had  nothing  to  fear,  for  he  instantly 
added,  "  Don't  be  alarmed  ;  you  are  Miss  Blythe,  I  presume, 
and  I  am  Dr.  Field.  I  had  a  little  talk  last  night  with  a 
friend  of  yours — a  poor  boy,  who  spoke  in  the  highest 
terms  of  you,  for  the  many  acts  of  kindness  you  have  shown 
him,  and  I  have  promised  to  do  something  for  him,  pro 
vided  your  account  of  him  is  a  favorable  one." 

"  Yes,  so  he  told  me." 

"  He  told  you.  Why,  has  he  been  here  ?  I  expected 
that  he  was  fifteen  miles  from  here  before  this  time,  where 
I  promised  to  meet  him  to-day." 

"  Are  you  jesting,  sir  ?" 

"  Jesting  1  I  do  not  understand  you,  miss.  I  am  not 
jesting.  I  speak  seriously,  and  for  an  honest  purpose." 

"  And  did  you  not  see  that  boy  as  you  approached  this 
spot  ?" 

"  Upon  my  word,  no.  I  saw  no  one  but  yourself.  I 
Btood  a  single  moment  before  I  spoke,  as  you  seemed  to  be 
absorbed  in  thought,  and  held  your  handkerchief  over  your 
eyes." 

Alida  felt  a  load  of  trouble  and  confusion  sliding  gently 
from  her  heart.  She  had  given  a  farewell  kiss  to  that  poor 
boy — it  was  not  an  act  to  be  ashamed  of,  but  she  blushed 
to  think  a  stranger  had  seen  it.  Could  she  have  foreseen 
the  effect  that  it  had  upon  him  who  received  it,  that  it 
would  be  his  guiding  star  through  life — that  from  the 
moment  it  was  given  he  had  determined  to  live  so  that 
should  they  ever  meet  again,  she  would  be  willing  to  give 
another — she  would  not  have  blushed  to  own  the  act.  As 


76  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

it  was,  she  felt  a  relief  that  it  had  not  been  witnessed,  and 
she  repeated  the  question  : 

"  Is  it  possible,  that  he  had  got  out  of  sight  so  quick  ? 
It  seems  like  a  dream.  Why,  I  thought  you  must  have  been 
both  of  you  standing  here  at  the  same  moment.  He  must 
have  vanished  suddenly." 

"  Do  you  speak  of  the  boy  they  call  Mike  ?  Was  he 
really  here  so  short  a  time  since  ?" 

"  Upon  the  very  instant  it  seemed  to  me,  that  you  spoke. 
I  had  but  just  said  good-bye,  and  put  my  handkerchief  to 
my  face." 

"  Say  to  your  eyes,  to  wipe  a  tear  of  sorrow  for  the  poor 
fellow — an  honest,  friendless,  orphan.  I  appreciate  you  all 
the  more,  and  thank  you  most  sincerely  for  what  you  have 
done  for  him,  for  I  believe  him  a  much  better  boy  than  he 
has  ever  had  credit  for  ;  I  know  he  is  honest." 

"  Yes,  and  never  would  have  been  drunken,  or  mischive- 
ous,  only  from  bad  example,  and  the  influence  of  his  asso 
ciates.  I  am  sure  he  is  determined  to  reform  now,  if  he 
can  have  a  chance." 

"  He  shall  have  a  chance.  I  am  going  to  give  him  a 
suit  of  clothes,  and  money  enough  to  pay  his  expenses,  and 
send  him  to  my  brother  in  the  State  of  New  York,  who  has 
a  good  farm,  and  is  a  good  sober  man,  and  will  set  him  to 
work,  and  give  him  fair  wages.  I  hope  he  is  willing  to 
work." 

"  Willing  !     Look  at  this  spot — this  pleasant  retreat." 

"  I  have  been  admiring  it  ever  since  I  arrived.  It  is 
fitted  up  with  extreme  taste,  and  does  the  owner  credit." 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  77 

"  Xot  me.  It  is  all  the  work  of  that  boy.  All  iu  grati 
tude  for  the  few  school  lessons  I  have  given  him." 

"  Is  it  possible.  It  is  a  wonder  that  such  a  rough  casket 
should  contain  such  a  jewel  of  a  mind  as  his.  I  suppose 
then,  he  can  read.  Can  he  write  ?" 

"  Yes  sir,  a  handsome  hand,  and  understands  figures  per 
fectly,  and  it  is  a  real  pleasure  to  hear  him  read,  as  I  have, 
many  an  hour  by  the  side  of  this  rock,  while  I  was  busy 
with  my  needle." 

"  He  will  be  invaluable  to  my  brother,  who  is  very  much 
troubled  with  ophthalmia,  and  has  to  depend  almost  entirely 
upon  one  of  his  daughters  to  keep,  his  accounts.  As  you 
have  taken  such  an  interest  in  this  boy,  I  will  assure  you 
that  I  will  put  him  in  a  position  to  make  a  man  of  himself," 

"  Oh,  sir,  I  thank  you,  from  my  heart ;"  and  she  extended 
her  hand  to  him,  with  all-  the  confidence  she  would  have  felt 
in  an  old  acquaintance  Such  is  the  power  of  benevolent 
actions,  that  two  hearts  engaged  in  the  same  good  work 
long  to  be  more  closely  united.  She  felt  in  a  moment  that 
Dr.  Field,  notwithstanding  all  the  tales  she  had  heard  of 
his  smuggling  operations,  could  not  be  a  bad  man.  And 
besides,  he  had  taken  an  interest  in  a  fellow  being,  for  whom 
she  had  felt  'a  deep  solicitude,  and  at  that  very  moment, 
it  must  be  acknowledged,  by  his  gratitude,  kindness,  good 
disposition,  and  above  all,  his  undoubted  love  for  her,  had 
taken  a  place  in  her  heart,  that  might  have  unseated  her 
first  love,  if  Mike  had  been  of  the  same  age  and  position  in 
society,  as  Nat  Brandon. 


78  G  R  E  E  N  -  M  0  U  NT  T  A  I  N      GIRLS- 

There  is  nothing  softens  a  woman's  heart — I  mean  a 
woman  that  has  a  heart — 

"  A  heart  to  feel  for  other's  woes," 

so  quick  as  the  love  of  an  honest  heart  for  her.  It  is  the 
sympathetic  action  of  our  nature.  It  was  the  dream — "  he 
loves  me" — that  absorbed  her  soul  so  that  she  did  not  notice 
the  approach  of  Dr.  Field.  And  then  she  thought,  "  Oh  i 
if  I  only  felt  as  sure  of  the  love  of  Nat  Brandon,  as  I  do 
of  the  pure  affection  of  that  poor  boy,  how  happy  I  should 
be."  She  had  thought  this  so  intently,  that  she  almost 
believed  that  Dr.  Field  had  read  her  thoughts,  and  when  he 
spoke  of  the  subject  that  was  upon  her  mind  as  he  ap 
proached,  she  involuntarily  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  sir,  did  I  think 
aloud  ?" 

"  No,  Miss  Blythe,  not  aloud  ;  but  then  it  was  not  diffi 
cult  for  a  man  of  my  experience,  who  has  been  for  years 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine,  and  has  endeavored 
to  study  human  nature,  to  judge  what  a  young  lady's 
thoughts  are,  in  such  a  romantic  spot  as  this,  when  she  has 
just  been  talking  about  the  man  to  whom  she  is  engaged  to 
be  married." 

"  Sir.  I  do  not  understand  you.  Who  says  I  am 
engaged  to  be  married  ?" 

"  A  very  lying  old  lady — Madam  Rumor." 

"  Then  I  wish  you  would  believe  that  she  has  lied  in  this 
instance,  instead  of  believing  so  foolish  a  tale." 

"  Come,  come  Miss  Blythe,  it  is  useless  to  deny  it  to  me, 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  79 

for  I  have  come  here  on  purpose  to  talk  with  you  upon  that 
subject." 

"  I  do  not  understand  what  right  you  have,  sir,  to  talk 
to  me,  upon  a  matter  that  does  not  concern  you  in  the  least. 
And  particularly  as  we  are  strangers.  I  will  return  to  the 
house,  and  if  you  have  anything  to  say,  you  can  say  it  in 
the  presence  of  my  mother." 

"  Yery  true.  But,  in  the  first  place,  you  would  rather 
listen  to  what  I  have  to  say  here  by  yourself.  Besides, 
your  mother  sent  me  here,  knowing,  or  believing  that  I 
should  find  you  alone.  As  to  our  being  strangers,  that  ia 
true,  but  let  us  become  acquainted,  and  friends.  Then  I 
should  have  a  right  to  talk  to  you.  As  to  the  fact  that 
your  marriage  does  not  concern  me,  I  answer  you  it  does.  I 
have  a  deep  interest  in  it — a  pecuniary  interest." 

"  A  pecuniary  interest  !  You  surprise  me,  sir.  I  do  not 
understand  you.  Will  you  explain  yourself  ?" 

"  Yes,  since  you  request  me  to  do  so." 

"I  do  certainly.  You  have  excited  my  curiosity — a 
woman's  curiosity." 

"  Which  must  be  gratified.  You  are  engaged  to  be  mar 
ried  to  Nat  Brandon  ?" 

"  Well,  sir,  you  seem  to  speak  positively,  as  though  you 
knew  ;  so  I  suppose  there  is  no  occasion  for  me  to  deny  it  ; 
but  I  should  like  to  know  how  you  became  acquainted  with 
my  family  secrets." 

"  From  one  of  the  parties.     He  told  me  so,  himself." 

"  Indeed  ;  are  you  so  deep  in  his  confidence  that  he  in 
trusts  all  his  affairs  of  love  with  you  ?" 


80  GRKEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

"  I  hope  not  all  of  them. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  Has  he  several  on  hand 
at  the  same  time  ?" 

"  That  I  cannot  answer,  and  it  is  quite  unnecessary  for 
me  to  do  so  now  ;  it  is  only  of  your  engagement  with  Nat 
Brandon  that  I  have  to  speak.  You  ask  me  how  it  happens 
that  he  should  have  told  me  such  a  secret.  I  will  be  can 
did.  You  have,  I  believe,  in  your  own  right,  a  considerable 
legacy  coming  to  you  as  soon  as  you  are  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  which  is  now  in  a  few  days." 

"  Well,  sir,  you  certainly  seem  to  be  well  posted  in  my 
family  affairs.  Yes,  I  have  one  thousand  dollars  in  prospect. 
Did  Mr.  Brandon  tell  you  that,  too  ?" 

"  He  did  ;  and  that  as  soon  as  you  were  married,  of  course 
that  would  come  into  his  hands." 

"  Not  exactly  ;  but  that  with  it,  and  a  little  more  added  to 
it  by  Nat's  father,  we  would  purchase  this  little  farm,  and 
place  the  money  at  interest  for  my  mother,  and  give  her  a 
home  with  us  while  she  lived." 

"  And  on  the  other  hand  he  has  promised  to  pay  me  a 
debt  of  long  standing  and  considerable  amount  as  soon  as 
he  came  in  possession  of  that  money.  Now  am  I  not  inter 
ested  in  your  marriage  ?" 

"  And  it  is  that  that  you  have  come  here  for,  to  urge  me 
to  hasten  its  consummation, that  you  might  reap  its  advanta- 
tages  in  the  payment  of  an  old  debt,  probably  contracted  in 
the  unlawful  pursuit  which  Madam  Rumor  says  you  are  en 
gaged  in  ?  Your  motive  is  a  base  one." 

"So  you  think,  because  you  mistake  it.     Have  I  given 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  81 

yon  any  reason  to  think  that  such  was  my  motive  ? — have  I 
said  a  word  to  that  effect  ?  On  the  contrary,  my  sole  object 
in  coming  here  was  to  prevent  the  consummation  of  so  base  a 
project  I  should  be  glad  to  get  my  money — and  it  is  an 
honest  debt,  fairly  due — and  I  need  it  now  in  the  prosecu 
tion  of  my  business,  be  it  what  it  may — at  any  rate  it  is  as 
honest  as  that  of  a  distiller — for  I  have  lately  met  with  some 
heavy  losses." 

"  Yes,  in  the  hardware  line,  I  think." 

"  You  are  disposed  to  be  a  little  sarcastic." 

"  And  you  a  little  base,  I  fear." 

"  Pray  hear  before  you  condemn.  I  came  here  on  pur 
pose  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  my  being  paid  out  of  your 
money.  I  have  nothing  to  say  to  hinder  you  from  marrying 
this  man,  for  where  courtship  has  advanced  so  far,  it  is  gene 
rally  of  but  little  use  for  parents  or  friends  to  interpose  ob 
jections  to  the  marriage.  There  is  a  sort  of  impossibility 
even  on  the  part  of  the  principals  themselves,  much  more  of 
friends,  preventing  the  consummation  of  their  most  ardent  de 
sires.  I  am  also  aware  that,  in  this  case,  your  mother  is 
opposed  to  the  match,  and  that  his  father  pretends  to  be,  just 
to  bring  it  about  ;  and  to  avoid  the  objection  of  your  mother 
a  clandestine  marriage  has  been  proposed,  to  which  you 
have  listened  favorably,  knowing  that  she  would  be  recon 
ciled  when  she  found  that  opposition  was  no  longer  of  any 
avail." 

"  And  what  do  you  know  of  what  I  have  just  been  told, 
that  if  I  consented  to  that  clandestine  course,  deception 
would  be  practised  upon  me,  and  that  I  should  only  become 

4* 


82  GREEN-MOUNTAIN'      GIRLS. 

a  partner  in  a  pretended  ceremony,  performed  by  a  counter 
feit  priest  ?" 

"  Nothing,  upon  my  honor  ;  nor  do  I  believe  it.  I  do  not 
think,  and  I  speak  candidly,  and  as  I  would  to  my  own  sister 
or  daughter,  that  Nat  Brandon  is  such  a  villain,  though  he  is 
not  exactly  what  he  should  be,  or  that  he  is  as  good  as  you 
deserve.  He  is,  I  fear  a  confirmed  inebriate,  but  he  may  re 
form — and  then " 

"  Oh  he  will  ;  I  am  sure  he  will  ;  he  says  he  will,  as  soon 
as  we  are  married." 

"  If  I  was  in  your  place,  I  should  insist  upon  it,  that  he 
did  that  beforehand.  He  has  some  bad  habits,  and  bad  asso 
ciates,  but  I  cannot  believe  him  base  enough  to  be  guilty  of 
such  an  act  as  the  deception  you  speak  of.  But  if  you  will 
confide  in  me  at  the  proper  time,  I  will  take  care  that  you 
are  not  deceived,  and  I  hope  that  you  will  not  be  disap 
pointed  in  trusting  that  your  influence  will  make  a  sober 
man  of  him.  That  influence  is  strong,  I  have  reason  to 
believe,  or  it  would  not  have  produced  such  an  effect  upon 
poor  Mike.  I  know  that  female  influence  is  powerful  for 
good  wherever  it  is  used,  and  I  wish  it  was  exerted  in  a  ten 
fold  stronger  degree.  Now  to  convince  you  that  my  motive 
is  not,  as  you  thought  it,  a  base,  mercenary  one,  I  beg  you 
not  to  let  this  marriage  take  place  until  after  your  birthday, 
and  not  until  you  have  made  a  legal  transfer  of  your  money, 
or  right  of  inheritance,  to  your  mother,  or  any  other  friend 
who  will  hold  it  safe  for  you,  until  such  a  time  as  you  require 
a  re-transfer.  If  you  defer  this  until  after  the  marriage,  you 
will  then  have  no  power  to  do  so  without  the  consent  of  your 


GREEN-MO UNTAIX      GIRLS.  83 

husband  ;  in  fact,  he  may  get  possession  of  it  without  your 
consent." 

"  But  if  I  should  do  thus,  it  will  imply  distrust,  or  want 
of  confidence  in  my  betrothed  husband." 

"  He  need  not  know  it — had  better  not  know  it." 

"  You  are  teaching  me  to  practise  deception." 

"  Not  to  any  one's  injury.  If  he  proves  worthy  of  your 
trust — if  he  does  reform — if  you  find  that  he  is  ready  to  ap 
propriate  this  money,  as  well  as  more  from  his  father,  to  the 
object  which  you  say  he  has  agreed  to,  and  not  to  the  pay 
ment  of  my  debt,  or  any  other  purpose,  then  you  can  have 
it  so  applied  at  once." 

"  But  what  would  he  think  of  me  thus  to  put  it  out  of  my 
hands — and  out  of  his  reach — certainly  that  I  distrusted  him." 

"  No,  not  if  you  put  it  in  the  hands  of  your  mother,  for 
then  you  could  say  that  that  was  the  advice  of  counsel,  as 
the  shortest  way  of  making  payment  for  the  farm." 

"  True,  that  would  seem  reasonable  ;  and  I  cannot  see 
any  wrong  in  it,  but  I  can  see  wrong  in  my  suspicion  of  you, 
that  you  were  plotting  to  get  possession  of  my  money  and 
that  that  was  all  the  interest  you  felt  in  my  marriage." 

"  That  was  very  natural  ;  but  no  matter  :  you  will  then 
pursue  my  advice  ?" 

"  Yes — but — that  is — I  had  partly  given  my  consent  to 
go  over  the  line  and  be  married  to-night." 

"Why  over  the  line?" 

"  I  do  not  know,  except  that  he  said  he  had  a  friend  there 
who  was  a  minister,  that  he  wanted  to  perform  the  ceremony, 
and  as  I  was  pure  my  mother  had  made  up  her  mind  never 


84  GREEN- MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

to  consent,  I  did  not  know  what  else  to  do,  since  things  have 
gone  so  far  with  us  that  I  cannot  retreat  now.  Come  what 
will  I  must  go  ahead.  I  shall  do  my  best  to  keep  clear  of 
the  serpent  which  you  think  lies  in  our  path.  If  Nat  insists 
upon  it  to-night,  I  do  not  know  what  to  say  to  put  it  off, 
since  our  wedding  day  has  already  been  fixed  a  number  of 
times,  and  might  have  taken  place  with  the  approbation  of 
my  mother  then,  but  he  put  it  off,  as  she  says,  for  no  honest, 
proper  reason.  And  now,  if  I  should  postpone  it,  what  will 
he  say  ?" 

"  You  shall  not  have  that  difficulty.  He  shall  do  it  again 
himself  :  I  will  take  care  that  he  has  other,  and  more  im- 
important  business  to  attend  to  to-night,  as  his  father  will  tell 
him,  than  getting  married. 

"  You  seem  to  have  a  strange  influence  over  my  fate,  and 
subject  me  to  your  will  as  though  I  were  a  thing  of  your 
own  creation.  I  have  understood  that  one  of  the  previous 
postponements  was  occasioned  by  you." 

"  Not  intentionally  ;  for  I  never  knew  of  the  engagement 
until  quite  lately  ;  and  I  only  propose  now  to  be  the  means 
of  postponing  it  to  save  you  from  the  necessity  of  doing  it 
yourself,  and  thus  give  you  a  chance  to  throw  it  over  beyond 
your  birth-day,  which  I  believe  you  are  convinced  is  the 
safest  course.  For  even  should  you  place  the  utmost  reli 
ance  in  him,  and  unite  yourself  in  marriage  while  he  is  in 
debt  to  me,  your  property  will  become  your  husband's  by 
law,  and  I  can  sue  him  and  get  possession  of  it,  in  spite  of 
all  right  and  justice  towards  you.  You  would  not  only 
place  yourself  in  his  power,  but, in  mine  also." 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  85 

"  You  are  certainly  a  very  remarkable  man.  At  first  I 
thought  you  anxious  that  I  should  get  married,  so  that  you 
could  get  payment  of  a  debt  due  you,  and  now  you  seem 
intent  on  making  such  arrangements  as  will  quite  preclude 
you.  I  cannot  but  believe  your  intentions  are  all  meant  for 
my  benefit,  and  I  will  submit  to  your  guidance.  Do  not  let 
me  ever  learn  that  I  have  misplaced  my  confidence — given 
perhaps  too  readily  to  one  I  know  but  little  of.  You  will 
not  deceive  me  ?" 

"  Never  !  Mind,  I  do  not  oppose  your  marriage  ;  I  only 
ask  a  postponement.  I  shall  trust  hopingly  that  you  will 
reform  the  habits  of  Nat,  and  live  a  long,  happy  life  with 
him.  I  wish  the  full  power  of  female  influence  could  be 
brought  to  bear  upon  all  of  us,  till  the  foolish,  wicked 
fashion  of  drinking  intoxicating  liquors  was  banished  from 
the  world.  It  is  a  hateful  sin,  and  the  parent  of  almost 
every  other  one,  and  if  it  is  ever  driven  from  society,  it  will 
be  so  by  an  army  of  just  such  soldiers  as  yourself." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  Do  you  think  that  we  could  unite — 
form  associations  that  would  be  successful,  if  we  should 
declare  our  object  to  be  the  total  prohibition  of  liquor  in 
society  ?  Only  think  what  a  powerful  foe  you  would  pit 
weak  women  against.  I  am  afraid  we  should  utterly  fail." 

"  Xo  ;  depend  upon  it,  there  is  no  such  word  as  fail  to 
woman's  will.  And  mark  my  word — the  time  will  come 
when  drinking  will  be  banished  from  the  houses  of  all  of  the 
most  respectable  families  in  the  country  ;  and  the  time  will 
come  when  to  be  a  distiller,  will  not  be  a  recommendation 
for  a  man  to  hold  such  an  office  as  deacon  of  the  church." 


86  GREEN-MO UNT AI N      GIRLS. 

"  God  speed  the  day  !  and  if  I  could  believe  that  my  acts 
would  have  any  influence  to  produce  such  a  great  good,  I 
would  commence  this  very  day,  and  resolve  that,  for  one,  I 
would  never  touch,  taste,  or  give  to  another,  a  single  drop 
of  the  soul  and  body  destroying  poison." 

"  Of  what  is  the  ocean  made  up  ?  Single  drops  of  water. 
Does  the  snow-drift  fall  at  once  six  feet  deep  ?  No,  it  is 
the  aggregation  of  little  particles.  Look  at  yonder  tree. 
The  buds  are  swelling,  and  in  a  few  days  there  will  be  a 
wilderness  of  green  leaves.  What  if  one  should  say, '  I  will 
not  start  first ;  I  will  not  first  stand  out  alone  before  the 
world,  to  proclaim  the  beauty  of  nature  springing  forth  to 
honor  nature's  God,  for  fear  that  my  fellows  will  not  follow. 
What  if  the  nipping  frost  of  the  world  should  rudely 
assault  me  for  my  presumption  for  coming  alone  to  brave 
its  power.  No,  I  will  not  show  my  face  till  some  other  bud 
has  first  shown  his.'  And  thus  every  leaf  would  remain 

close  within  the  shelter  of  the  unopened  bud,  and  all  the 

£ 

woods  would  stand  gloomy  and  dark  w^fen  each  tree  should 

be  singing  songs  of  praise  to  its  Mak/r,  in  the  glory  of  such 
an  early  sweet  spring  as  this.  TO  accomplish  any  good, 
each  individual  must  act  independently,  and  never  fear  to 
take  the  lead  in  any  measure  that  conscience  dictates  is  right." 

"  Why,  doctor,  you  almost  persuade  me  to  adopt  your 
own  views.  Are  you  teetotally  opposed  in  practice,  as  well 
as  theory,  to  the  use  of  liquor ,?" 

"  I  have  not  been,  but  I  am  ready  to  join  you,  and  will 
pledge  myself  as  firm  as  this  rock,  never  to  drink  another 
drop  of  anything  that  can  intoxicate,  while  I  live." 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  87 

"  Here  is  my  hand  ;  I  will  abide  that  pledge,  and  use  my 
influence  to  prevent  others." 

"  You  have  already  used  that  influence  in  the  case  of  poor 
Mike.  Think  what  a  blessing  that  will  be  to  him.  Think 
what  a  blessing  the  same  influence  may  be  to  others.  Think 
what  a  happiness  it  will  be  to  Mike,  to  hear  that  his  two 
best  friends — his  only  true  friends — here  upon  this,  to  him, 
almost  holy  ground,  have  pledged  themselves  to  an  act,  that 
may  some  day  be  the  means  of  saving  a  thousand,  such  boys 
from  destruction." 

"  Yes,  if  like  the  leaves,  in  the  genial  sunshine  of  spring, 
a  thousand  others  shall  follow  our  example,  and  burst  into 
existence." 

"  They  will,  they  will.  And  now  good-bye,  for  I  have 
much  to  do  before  night,  and  then  to  meet  Mike,  to  speed 
him  on  the  journey  I  have  promised  him." 

"  Good  bye,  and  God  bless  you,  for  all  that  you  may  do 
for  that  poor  boy  ;  for  something  tells  me  that  I  shall  yet 
reap  a  rich  reward  for  the  little  I  have  done  for  him.  I  am 
not  superstitious,  yet  it  does  seem  as  though  Providence  has 
lent  a  special  protection  to  that  boy,  for  one  of  its  own  wise, 
though  hidden  purposes." 

"  Do  yon  not  see  the  good  fruit  which  your  kindness  to 
him  has  already  produced — not  to  him  alone,  but  to  your 
self — to  me  ?" 

"  I  cannot  say  that  I  do.     Will  you  explain  ?" 

"  It  is  owing  to  the  good  lessons  you  have  given  him, 
that  I  took  an  interest  in  his  destitute  condition,  and  have 
promised  to  aid  him  in  getting  out  of  the  charmed  circle  of 


88  GRE E N-M tiU NT  A  I N      GIRLS. 

evil  associates.     It  is  owing  to  that,  that  I  have  had  this 
interview  with  you,  which  I  trust  will  result  in  no  little 
benefit  to   your  interest.     Another  of  the  fruits  of  this 
interview,  is  the  pledge  which  we  have  mutually  made  to 
each  other,  to  abstain  hereafter  from  the  use  of  everything 
that  can  intoxicate.     What  if  we  can  induce  a  hundred 
others  to  unite  with  us  in  this  holy  crusade  against  one  of 
the  most  debasing  sins  of  the  age  ?    Then  will  the  little 
tree  planted  here  by  the  side  of  this  rock  to-day,  bear  fruit 
an  hundred  fold.     You  planted  the  first  seed  with  your 
first  lesson  to  that  poor  ragged  boy,  in  the  fertile  soil  of  the 
human  heart — you  have  planted  another  in  mine.     Do  you 
believe  now  in  female  influence  ?     Depend  upon  it,  it  is  the 
most  powerful  engine  for  good  or  evil,  ever  put  in  motion 
upon  this  footstool  of  omnipotent  power.     And  I  trust  in 
God  the  day  is  not  far  distant,  when  it  shall  be  felt  with 
such  force  that  no  Christian  church  will  admit  members  to 
its  communion  table — or  allow  men  to  hold  the  office  held  by 
the  owner  of  yonder  soul-consuming  pandemonium — and  that 
a  man  will  not  be  esteemed  very  respectable,  who  is  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  or  sale  of  intoxicating  liquor.  Be  assured, 
too,  that  the  time  will  come,  when  two  D.D.'s,  to  "a  church 
member's  name,  will  not  be  an  enviable  affix." 

"  How  two  D.D.'s  ?" 

"  Deacon  and  Distiller.  Perhaps  in  most  cases  three 
would  be  more  appropriate  ;  deacon,  distiller,  and  drunkard. 
In  fact,  in  some  cases,  a  fourth  would  not  be  inappropriate, 
as  the  business,  if  not  the  man,  is  devilish." 

"  You  are  severe,  doctor." 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  89 

"It  is  because  I  am  a  doctor,  and  know  that  severe 
cases  need  severe  remedies,  and  rum-diseased  patients  must 
be  treated  plainly.  You  know  that  there  is  no  remedy  for 
the  tooth-ache  equal  to  extraction  of  every  root.  It  is  my 
professional  opinion  that  that  must  be  the  final  means 
resorted  to  for  the  cure  of  drunkenness.  Every  root  must 
be  extracted.  Here  is  an  illustration.  There  is  one  of  the 
worst  pests  of  the  farmer  in  Vermont.  Look  at  that  bunch 
of  Canada  thistles.  True,  they  are  but  the  dried  stalks  of 
last  year's  growth,  that  have  stood  withering  through  the 
cold  blasts  of  our  long  winter  ;  yet  every  one  of  those 
stalks  has  borne  a  plentiful  crop  of  seed  ;  each  one  of 
which  has  been  borne  upon  its  own  wings  by  the  aid  of 
those  cold  blasts,  to  some  far  distant  field,  to  nestle  down 
in  some  rich  spot  of  earth,  where  now  this  warm,  sunny  day 
is  developing  its  latent  life,  and  to-morrow  it  will  sprout 
into  new  existence,  producing  a  new  crop  of  thorns  to 
wound  the  hands  of  the  laborer  in  the  next  harvest  field. 
The  evil  is  already  done — these  stalks  are  dry  and  harmless 
— to  pull  them  up  and  destroy  them  by  fire,  will  accomplish 
no  good.  It  would  be  like  wreaking  our  vengeance  upon 
the  drunkard,  and  burning  him  for  his  folly  of  getting 
drunk.  Each  of  those  stalks  has  a  root,  deep  down  in  the 
earth,  which  fire  cannot  reach,  and  frost  will  not  kill  ;  and 
if  it  is  not  dug  up  from  its  deepest  recess,  down  to  the  last 
fibre,  it  will  sprout  again  into  life  ;  again  send  its  winged 
seeds  abroad  upon  the  breeze  ;  again  produce  thorns  to 
wound  the  flesh,  producing  festering  sores  that  will  gan 
grene  in  death,  beyond  the  power  of  the  most  learned  phy- 


90  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

sician's  skill.  The  only  remedy  is  to  prevent  the  spread  of 
the  evil,  by  destroying  root,  branch  and  seed.  Look  at 
yonder  column  of  black  smoke,  as  it  curls  up  into  the  clear 
blue  sky,  and  spreads  out  over  that  pleasant  valley,  which 
God  made  for  the  peaceful  habitation  of  man.  Do  you 
know  where  that  smoke  comes  from  ?" 

"  Yes,  too  well.  It  comes  from  the  fire  which  warmed 
a  serpent  into  life  that  stung  my  father  to  death." 

"  It  comes  from  Deacon  Brandon's  distillery." 

"  And  I  about  to  marry  his  son — to  take  the  hand  of  the 
man  who,  perhaps,  made  the  sting  that  took  my  father's 
life.  Oh  !  I  have  never  looked  upon  it  in  this  light  before. 
But  it  is  too  late  now  to  look  back,  for  I  have  given  my 
word,  and  I  will  keep  it  sacred.  Besides,  I  have  a  holy 
duty  to  perform.  It  will  be  an  opportunity  for  me  to  exer 
cise  that  influence  which  you  give  me  credit  for  possessing." 

"  And  which  1  hope  you  may  use  for  good.  I  hope  it  may 
be  used  here  and  everywhere  until  such  columns  of  smoke 
shall  cease  to  mock  heaven  by  ascending  up  towards  God, 
from  such  manufactories  of  the  venom  of  loathsome  worms 
and  poison  serpents.  Black  as  the  smoke  of  those  burning 
pine-knots  is,  it  would  not  soil  the  snowy  whiteness  of  your 
dress,  or  dim  the  lily  and  rose  tints  of  your  skin,  in  half  so 
great  a  degree  as  the  fluid  now  pouring  through  the  worm 
of  that  still,  if  taken  into  your  own  system.  Look  at  that 
cloud  of  smoke  as  it  drifts  down  the  valley,  hanging  like  a 
pall  over  the  people,  or  spreading  out  like  a  great  sheet  of 
crape,  in  mourning  for  the  deaths  of  the  victims  which  that 
fire  has  consumed." 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  91 

"  What  shall  we  do  to  drive  away  that  pall,  and  let  the 
sun  shine  clear  and  unobscured  upon  the  happy  homes  that 
would  then  fill  the  land  ?" 

"  Put  out  the  fire.  Until  that  is  done,  you  might  as 
well  expect  the  thistle  would  not  grow  again  from  the  root, 
as  to  expect  that  the  smoke  would  cease  to  rise,  or  that 
drunkenness  could  be  prevented.  Quench  the  distiller's 
fire — stop  the  cause,  and  the  effect  will  cease." 

"  How  can  that  be  done  ?" 

"  Gather  the .  tears  of  drunkards'  orphans  and  widows  ; 
mix  them  with  the  blood  spilt  in  drunken  brawls,  or  shed, 
indirectly  by  the  distiller's  own  hand  ;  add  to  this  the 
carbonic  acid,  generated  or  used  in  the  distiller's  trade,  and 
pour  the  compound  upon  his  fire,  and  it  will  be  quenched 
for  ever." 

*'  And  shall  we  not  also  pour  upon  his  heart  the  groans 
and  prayers  of  his  poor  victims  ?" 

"  No.  You  might  just  as  well  pour  oil  upon  fire,  or  water 
in  the  sea.  You  might  as  well  offer  prayers  to  this  rock, 
for  that  smoke  to  cease  to  rise.  The  one  would  be  quenched, 
and  the  other  feel,  just  as  soon  as  the  heart  of  a  man  who 
deliberately  engages  in  the  business  of  converting  grain, 
which  God  made  to  feed  his  creatures,  into  a  substance 
which  the  manufacturer  knows  will  produce  death.  You 
may  ask  the  wind  to  cease  blowing,  and  just  as  well  expect 
to  be  heard.  The  distiller  has  no  ear,  no  heart.  You  may 
talk  to  the  drunkard  and  expect  to  be  answered,  in  reason, 
if  the  distiller  has  not  annihilated  it.  You  may  touch  his 
heart,  and  arouse  his  feelings,  but  the  man  who  makes,  or 


92  GREEN -MOUNTAIN      G I R  L S  . 

sells  him  the  liquor,  has  no  heart,  no  soul,  no  reason,  no 
mercy  !  You  may  touch  his  pocket,  you  cannot  reach  his 
sense  of  justice  1" 

"  What  then  can  we  do  ?" 

"  We  can  talk  to  all  who  will  listen,  until  we  make  other's 
think,  and  then  they  will  begin  to  act.  We  must  learn  to 
call  things  by  their  right  names,  and  not  hesitate  any  more 
to  say  that  a  man  is  murdered,  who  is  killed  by  rum,  than 
if  he  was  struck  down  by  the  assassin's  knife." 

"Would  you  call  distillers  and  rumsellers  murderers?" 

"  I  would.  If  a  man  gives  arsenic  to  another,  and  he  dies, 
however  liugeringly,  the  world  calls  it  murder." 

"  But  in  case  of  selling  liquor,  the  maker  or  seller  has  no 
design  of  taking  the  life  of  the  imbiber." 

"  True,  he  makes  and  sells  rum  for  the  profit  to  himself, 
knowing  it  will  be  drank  by  somebody,  producing  disease 
and  ultimate  death,  without  a  care  who  it  kills." 

"But  he  does  it  without  malice." 

"  So  does  the  highwayman  blow  out  the  brains  of  his 
victim  without  one  drop  of  malice  in  his  heart.  He  simply 
desires  his  money,  and  he  commits  murder  to  obtain  it. 
What  else  does  the  man  that  sells  liquor  to  his  neighbor, 
knowing  that  his  days  will  by  its  use  be  shortened  ;  he 
knows  that  he  is  robbing  him  of  his  money  and  life  just  as 
surely  as  the  highwayman  ;  the  only  difference  being  that 
custom  and  law  sanction  one,  while  the  other  is  called  a 
felony." 

"  I  have  never  thought  of  the  subject  in  this  light  before." 

"There  are  many  thousands  just  as  thoughtless  as  you 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  93 

are.  I  have  often  thought  of  it,  and  often  determined  that 
I  would  practise  as  I  thought,  but  I  never  have  before  fully 
made  up  my  mind  to  begin  the  work.  I  just  needed  the 
sympathetic  influence  of  another  mind  to  put  mine  into 
activity.  In  yours  I  have  found  that  magnetic  power,  and  I 
thank  heaven  for  the  cause  which  brought  us  in  contact." 

"  What  do  you  say  is  the  cause  ?" 

"  Pure  and  undefiled  religion.  You  visited  the  fatherless 
in  his  affliction,  and  like  an  angel  of  benevolence,  charity, 
mercy,  magnetised  the  latent  heart  into  life,  and  that  awoke 
my  own  conscience  to  the  realization  of  the  truth  that  I 
have  not  in  all  things  followed  the  golden  rule.  If  I  have 
not  as  rudely  as  some  of  my  fellow  men,  trampled  some  ten 
der  human  shoot  in  the  dust,  I  trave  not  done  all  my  duty 
to  God  and  man  in  lifting  up  those  already  down.  You 
have  not  only  taught  a  lesson  to  the  boy  Mike,  but  one  to 
me  which  I  intend  to  profit  by  hereafter." 

"  And  you  in  return  have  taught  me  several.  I  have 
gained  new  ideas,  new  motives  to  action,  new  impulses  to 
my  nature,  in  these  few  minutes  of  otfr  interview." 

"  It  is  thus  through  all  nature.  This  penknife  is  as  pow 
erless  to  lift  a  needle  as  this  fine  twig.  Touch  it  with  the 
lode-stone,  and  it  becomes  an  active  magnet,  and  the  needle 
would  spring  from  your  hands  to  mine,  clinging  to  the  knife 
by  some  unseen,  mysterious  power,  so  strong  that  they  could 
only  be  separated  by  force.  Just  so  with  the  human  mind. 
Let  it  once  be  touched  for  good  or  evil,  by  the  magnetic 
power  of  another,  and  see  how  the  two  cling  together  and 
work  in  unison." 


94  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

"  What  a  strange  doctrine  !" 

"  Yet  you  must  acknowledge  that  it  is  true." 

"  It  does  seem  so.     But  I  never  heard  it  taught  before." 

"No  wonder.  None  of  our  schools  ever  teach  the  doc 
trine  of — know  thyself.  The  physiology  of  the  human  system, 
is  to  youth  of  both  sexes  a  forbidden  theme,  and  boys  and 
girls  grow  to  maturity  and  often  become  parents  while  they 
are  as  ignorant  of  their  own  natural  functions,  as  yonder 
beast.  But  enough  of  this.  I  am  getting  upon  a  subject 
that  would  lead  me  into  a  dissertation,  tiresome  to  an  un 
trained  mind." 

"  Not  to  mine.    It  is  just  becoming  intensely  interesting." 

"  Because  you  have  a  mind  ready  to  study  nature,  and 
profit  by  its  teachings." 

"  I  think  I  would  if  I  had  such  a  teacher." 

"  Well,  at  a  future  time  ;  I  must  go  now.  Once  more, 
good  bye.  I  will  see  you  again  soon.  Remember  what  I 
have  advised  you  about  business." 

"  I  will.  Good  bye.  Tell  Mike  if  he  loves  me,  to  live  to 
deserve  my  continued  ttffection." 

"  Farewell." 

What  an  honest  warm  pressure  of  the  hand.  Its  magnetic 
influence  went  to  her  heart  and  tingled  in  its  inmost  recesses, 
and  then  away  through  the  arteries  in  a  moment,  to  the  ex 
tremity  of  every  limb.  He  looked  in  her  eyes  as  he  held  her 
hand  a  moment,  and  she  felt  the  fascinating  power,  and  could 
not  have  resisted  a  kiss  if  he  had  offered  it.  Why  should 
she  ?  It  would  have  been  a  kiss  such  as  a  brother  would 
have  given  a  dearly  loved  sister.  Such  a  one  as  any  human 


GKEEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  95 

being  may  give  another.  A  seal  of  friendship.  Affections' 
honest  offering  upon  a  holy  altar.  Such  a  one  as  a  dying 
child  of  sorrow  might  give  a  noble  benefactor  who  had  been 
more  than  a  father  or  a  brother — a  friend  in  the  hour  of 
affliction.  Than  a  kiss,  what  could  a  dying  child  give  that 
would  be  longer  remembered  ?  What  can  one  friend  give 
another,  more  pure,  more  holy  or  more  acceptable  than  such 
a  token  ?  Alas  that  it  should,  Judas  like,  ever  be  polluted. 


96  GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 


CHAPTER,    IY. 

Day  Dreams  obscured  by  Dark  Clouds — The  First  Doubts  of  Love — Reasonable 
Conclusions — The  Truthfulness  of  Woman's  Love — Constraints  of  Fashion — The 
Parson  and  his  Mug  of  Flip — A  New  Vision  of  the  Mind  to  Alida — Hope  saves 
from  Despair— A  Foreboding  Shadow— The  Word  of  Mike  against  Deacon 
Brandon — A  Miserable  Vagabond — W£o  made  him  so?— Alida  and  her  Mother 
talk  about  Education — The  First  "  Woman's  Rights  Convention." 

FOR  hours  after  Dr.  Field  left  her,  Alida  eat  reading  or 
working  almost  automatically.  Her  mind  was  full  of 
thoughts  of  the  past  and  visions  of  the  future.  In  spite  of 
all  her  efforts  to  get  a  clear  view  of  that  much-sought  after 
Utopian  land,  every  scene  was  hazy,  and  some  of  them 
obscured  by  thick,  black  clouds.  For  the  first  time, 
perhaps,  in  her  life,  misgivings  had  come  over  her  mind 
about  Nat  Brandon.  She  could  not  think  that  Mike  had 
deceived  her  intentionally,  but  he  must  be  mistaken.  Perhaps 
the  whole  with  him  was  a  dream.  That  was  the  most 
reasonable  conclusion.  She  could  not,  would  not  doubt 
that  Nat  Brandon  loved  her — had  loved  her  from  early 
school-boy  days — always  loved  her — must  love  her  still. 
She  would  not  doubt  it.  She  did  not  reason  that  "  first 
young  love  "  seldom  lives  through  the  teens.  Premature  in 
its  development,  it  is  equally  so  in  its  decay.  Though  she 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  97 

did  not  doubt  his  love,  she  had  misgivings  of  his  character 
and  habits,  that  tormented  her  with  thoughts  which  she 
could  not  drive  out  of  her  mind. 

Of  these  she  had  spoken  to  him.  At  first,  he  was  very 
indignant  at  the  idea,  that  she  should  begin  to  rale  him 
before  he  was  married,  and  broke  off  his  intercourse,  but 
finally  came  back  very  humble,  and  promised  reform,  and 
for  a  while  everybody  cried,  "What  a  change  in  Nat 
Brandon  !"  Some,  as  they  were  called,  illiberal  persons, 
said,  "  It  was  all  owing  to  the  wealth  of  her  grandmother 
that  he  came  back  ;  he  wants  her  money  more  than  he  does 
her." 

Alida,  by  nature  was  confiding,  affectionate  and  forgiv 
ing  ;  and  she  loved  Nat  Brandon  with  all  the  truthfulness 
of  pure  affection.  She  knew  that  he  drank,  and  as  she 
said  to  her  mother,  so  do  all  young  men ;  and  pertinently 
asked  her  if  she  was  going  to  wait  for  that  miracle — a  man 
that  did  not  use  intoxicating  liquor.  She  had  never  heard 
any  one  talk  like  Dr.  Field,  and  did  not  feel  as  though  she' 
had  any  right,  or  that  it  was  her  duty  to  set  up  a  crusade 
against  a  habit  in  which  everybody  indulged.  Even  her 
own  mother,  widowed  by  the  demon  of  Deacon  Brandon's 
distillery,  had  not  banished  the  poison  from  her  home. 
Although  she  used  little  or  none  herself,  she  felt  constrained 
by  the  tyrant  fashion,  whenever  she  was  visited  by  the 
neighbors,  to  treat  them  with  whisky,  sweetened,  to  disguise 
its  fire,  with  maple  sugar.  Whenever  Parson  White  called, 
the  first  inquiry  after  the  compliments  of  the  day,  was  : 

"  Well,  Sister  Blythe,  is  the  beer-barrel  all  right  ?" 
5 


98  G  R  E  E  N  -  M  0  U  X  T  A  I  N      GIRLS. 

If  answered  in  the  affirmative,  the  flip-iron  was  taken 
down  from  its  place  and  thrust  into  the  hottest  part  of  the 
fire,  where  the  parson  watched  it  as  it  took  on  its  ruddy 
color,  rubbing  his  hands  in  an  ecstasy  of  delight,  as  a 
school-boy  just  returned  with  a  consuming  appetite,  would 
watch  the  movement  of  his  mother,  as  she  drew  from  the 
oven  the  smoking  loaf  of  rye  and  Indian  bread,  and  the 
pot  of  baked  beans,  those  two  glorious  products  of  a  New 
England  farm-house. 

By  and  by  when  it  was  just  right,  he  would  take  it  out 
and  give  it  a  couple  of  raps  upon  the  hearth,  and  that  was 
a  signal  for  the  widow,  to  bring  the  mug  of  beer  already 
mixed  with  whisky  and  sugar,  and  set  it  upon  the  hearth 
between  the  parson's  feet,  and  then  he  would  plunge  in  the 
heated  iron,  and  stir  the  mixture  into  a  sort  of  creamy  con 
sistency,  and  then  putting  it  to  his  lips,  let  it  gently  flow 
down  his  throat,  as  though  anxious  to  prolong  the  feast. 

"  Ah  !"  he  would  say,  as  he  wiped  the  froth  from  his  lips, 
"  that  is  nectar,  such  as  the  heathen  gods  never  dreamed  of." 

Under  such  influences,  it  would  have  been  the  eighth 
wonder  of  the  world,  if  a  young  girl  had  rejected  her  lover, 
because  he  indulged  in  the  use  of  alcohol  as  a  beverage. 
But  now  she  had  new  views.  A  new  light  had  broken  in 
upon  her  vision,  and  if  she  had  been  free  to  choose,  she  would 
have  said,  "  I  will  die  a  maid  sooner  than  wed  a  drunkard." 
But  she  was  not  free.  She  had  given  her  word,  and  even 
promised  that  it  should  be  consummated  this  very  night. 
Still  the  vision  looked  dark,  and  at  times  as  her  mind  became 
absorbed  in  its  day  dream,  she  seemed  to  stand  upon  the 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  99 

very  brink  of  a  fearful  precipice,  from  which  she  recoiled 
with  a  convulsive  shudder. 

Finally,  that  most  blessed  of  all  the  angels,  Hope,  came  to 
her  relief  and  she  said  ;  "  Yes,  it  shall  be  so.  I  will  marry 
him,  and  then  work  his  reform.  If  love,  truth,  kindness,  and 
a  forgiving  spirit  can  win  him  back,  they  shall.  Oh,  they  will, 
I  am  sure  they  will.  There  can  be  no  danger — no  doubt.  But 
I  hope  he  will  propose  to  put  it  off  to-day,  and  then  I  will 
follow  Dr.  Field's  suggestion. 

But  there  was  doubt ;  a  fear  that  she  had  deceived  herself 
in  the  character  of  the  man  she  was  about  to  wed  ;  and  iu 
spite  of  all  her  resolution  to  the  contrary,  that  doubt  con 
tinued  to  intrude  itself  into  her  mind,  and  embitter  every 
thought.  The  sun  was  shining  sweetly,  gloriously,  as  it  does 
shine  in  early  spring  in  the  latitude  of  45°  in  America.  She 
sat  trying  to  read  and  work  at  the  same  time,  with  her 
mind  fixed  upon  neither.  All  at  once  she  started  in  sudden 
alarm,  for  a  thick  shadow  fell  upon  her  work  and  book  ; 
something  was  between  her  and  the  sun.  She  knew  there 
were  no  clouds,  and  as  she  was  seated  upon  the  south  side 
of  the  rock,  and  to  the  westward  of  the  vine-entangled  tree 
that  formed  her  bower,  it  could  not  be -the  shadow  of  rock 
or  tree,  for  now  the  sun  was  sinking  fast  away  behind  that 
chain  of  hills  known  as  the  Green  Mountains.  What  could 
it  be  ?  She  was  almost  afraid  to  look  up.  There  was  a 
sort  of  superstitious  foreboding  that  it  was  a  shadow  of  evil 
coming  over  her  life.  She  foreboded  truthfully —  it  was 
such  a  shadow.  She  looked  in  the  direction  of  the  sun,  and 
there  she  saw  the  cause  of  the  obscuring  cloud.  The  smoke 


100  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

of  the  old  distillery,  which  had  been  rolling  lazily  down  the 
valley  all  day,  without  dissipating  itself,  or  becoming  mixed 
up  with  the  atmosphere,  so  as  to  lose  its  identity,  had  been 
suddenly  driven  up  again  by  a  change  in  the  wind,  and 
rendered  into  a  murky  cloud  before  the  sun,  where  it  hung, 
as  though  suspended  in  the  air,  directly  over  the  place  of  its 
origin. 

"  Oh  !  that  it  would  settle  down,  and  blot  it  out  forever," 
was  her  involuntary  exclamation.  "  But  what,  if  it  should 
blot  out  those  it  might  enshroud  in  its  folds  of  darkness  ? 
Lost,  lost,  lost  1" 

"Why,  Alida,  I  really  began  to  think  you  were  lost. 
Why,  my  girl,  do  you  know  that  you  have  been  here  all 
day,  and  have  had  no  dinner  ?  I  wish  you  would  not  spend 
so  much  time  alone.  I  am  afraid  you  are  getting  melan 
choly." 

It  was  her  mother. 

"  Oh  !  no,  mother.  And  besides,  I  have  riot  been  alone 
all  the  time.  Don't  you  know  I  have  had  company  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  know  Dr.  Field  called  to  see  you,  and  I  told 
him  you  were  up  here,  and  I  began  to  think  he  had  smug 
gled  you  away,  he  is  such  a  desperate  smuggler.  I  would 
not  have  let  him  come  up  alone,  but  I  was  so  busy  I  could 
not  come,  and  I  had  no  one  to  send,  and  it  was  so  near 
noon,  I  was  afraid  to  blow  the  horn,  for  fear  the  boys  in 
the  sugar-camp  would  think  it  was  for  dinner,  and  come 
home  before  it  was  ready.  And  besides,  the  doctor  would 
not  let  me  take  a  bit  of  trouble  about  it,  and  as  soon  as  I 
told  him  where  you  were,  he  jumped  over  the  fence,  like  one 


^KEEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  101 

of  the  boys,  arid  went  off  on  a  run,  just  about  as  lively  as 
any  of  them.  I  do  wonder  if  he  is  as  bad  a  man  as  they 
say  he  is  ?" 

41  They  I     Who  ?" 

"  Why  all  the  folks.  Deacon  Brandon  in  particular.  He 
says  he  is  a  terrible  smuggler,  aud  he  is  afraid  that  is  not 
all ;  but  that  he  feeds  the  enemies  of  our  country  at  the 
same  time  that  he  buys  their  goods." 

"That  is  with  beef  cattle,  I  suppose,  stolen  out  of  Deacon 
Brandon's  pasture." 

"  Yes,  but  the  deacon  says  he  guesses  the  stealing  was  all 
a  sham,  and  that  the  doctor  got  his  pay," 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,  mother.  And  I  have  just  as  little 
doubt  that  Deacon  Brandon  shared  half  the  profits,  as  he 
was  in  full  partnership  with  the  doctor  in  the  purchase  of 
the  cattle." 

"  Why  Alida,  what  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  Just  what  I  say,  mother,  nothing  else." 

"  I  don't  believe  it,  not  a  word  of  it." 

"  Nevertheless,  it  is  the  truth." 

"  Who  told  you  so  ?" 

"  Some  one  upon  this  very  spot  this  day,  who  has  never 
lied  to  me." 

"  Why  you  never  saw  him  to  speak  with  him  before.  He 
told  me  so." 

"  I  do  not  mean  Dr.  Field." 

"  Why,  who  else  has  been  here  ?  Have  you  had  other 
company  ?" 

"  Yes  ma'am.  But  you  need  not  be  alarmed  ;  it  was 
only  Mike." 


102  GRE  EN-MO  U  N'T  AI  N      GIRLS. 

"Mike  !  And  would  you  take  that  boy's  word  against 
our  good  deacon  ?" 

"I  would." 

"Well  I  am  ashamed  of  you  then.  A  boy  that  all  the 
neighborhood  calls  a  miserable  vagabond." 

"  Who  made  him  so  ?" 

"  Well,  I  don't  know.     I  suppose  he  made  himself  so." 

"  You  are  pretty  near  right,  mother.  Left  a  poor,  friend 
less  orphan,  with  none  to  care  for  him,  and  surrounded  by  all 
the  evil  influences  of  a  new  settlement  like  this,  and  shut  out 
from  all  the  good  ones,  I  do  not  think  it  very  wonderful 
that  he  grew  up  a  drunken  vagabond.  Mother,  do  you  see 
that  cloud  of  smoke  ?  You  know  where  it  comes  from.  It 
was  there  that  poor  Mike  became  a  vagabond  and  a  drunk 
ard,  in  the  distillery  of  the  good  deacon,  who,  although  you 
know  he  has  been  engaged  in  feeding  his  own  flesh  and  blood, 
and  all  his  neighbors,  for  years,  with  his  distillations  of  death, 
you  cannot  believe  him  guilty  of  feeding  the  enemies  of  the 
country  with  beef,  which  he  sold  them  at  a  monstrous  profit ; 
but  it  is  true  ;  and  it  is  the  least  sin  of  the  two." 

"  Why,  Alida,  I  never  heard  you  talk  so  earnestly  before. 
What  has  come  over  you  ?" 

"  That  black  cloud  of  smoke,  coming  up  like  the  smoke  of 
another  place,  only  one  degree  worse  than  the  one  where  it 
comes  from — I  shall  never  see  it  rise  after  this  without 
thinking  how  many  have  been  lost,  lost,  lost,  by  the  fire 
that  produces  that  murkey  cloud,  as  long  as  I  remember 
what  I  have  heard,  and  said,  and  resolved  to  do  this  day." 

"  Well,  I  do  believe  that  you  have  seen  or  heard  something 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS,  103 

that  has  crazed  your  brain.  What  have  you  been  reading  ? 
Let  me  see.  '  Facts  in  Physiology  !'  Well,  I  am  sure  that 
I  don't  know  what  that  ology  is.  Let  me  see.  '  The  proper 
study  of  mankind  is  man.'  Oh  !  Alida,  I  am  afraid  you  have 
been  reading  some  bad  book — something  about  the  men 
that  you  ought  not  to  know.  It  is  plenty  time  for  a  girl  to 
learn  about  such  things  after  she  is  married.  I  am  sure  I 
don't  think  it  is  at  all  proper  for  a  young  girl  to  study  about 
man  ;  she  will  know  all  that  soon  enough." 

"  I  do  not  think  so,  mother.  I  do  not  believe  that  human 
beings,  rational  beings,  men  and  women,  can  know  too  much 
about  their  own  nature.  This  little  treatise  is  not,  as  you 
seem  to  suppose,  a  work  designed  to  corrupt  the  mind,  but 
to  teach  of  the  nature,  structure,  and  functions  of  the 
various  organs  of  human  beings.  It  teaches  what  is 
healthy  food  for  the  child ;  how  it  should  be  clothed  and 
treated  in  infancy,  and  how  in  youth  ;  and  what  changes 
take  place  at  the  age  of  puberty  ;  and  how  parents  should 
guard  their  children  at  this  age  against  the  danger  of 
excesses ;  and  a  great  many  things  that  I  think  they 
should  be  told,  though  I  am  not  complaining  that  you  never 
told  me." 

"  How  should  I,  when  I  was  never  told  by  my  mother  ?" 

"  So  I  suppose,  for  you  have  always  been  anxious  that  I 
should  learn  all  the  things  that  you  were  ever  taught  in 
school." 

"  And  I  guess  that  is  about  enough  for  any  girl  to  know. 
If  there  had  been  anything  else,  I  am  sure  that  my  father 
or  mother  would  have  found  it  out,  and  if  they  had  not, 


104  GREEN -MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

some  of  the  school-committee-men  would.  I  should  like  to 
know  where  they  ever  had  better  schools  than  we  used  to 
have  in  Old  Connecticut,  when  I  was  a  girl." 

"What  books  did  you  use,  mother  ?" 

"  We  had  the  New  England  Primer  ;  Webster's  Spelling- 
Book  ;  the  American  Preceptor  ;  Murray's  Grammar, 
Abridged  ;  Daboll's  Arithmetic,  and  the  New  Testament  ; 
and  I  should  like  to  know  if  them  don't  contain  about  all 
that  is  ever  necessary  for  anybody  to  know,  except  reading 
the  Old  Testament  at  home,  and  going  to  hear  a  good 
sermon  every  Sunday." 

"  It  does  seem  that  the  majority  of  mankind  think  that  is 
sufficient,  yet  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  there  are  some 
other  sciences  which  might  be  taught  to  good  advantage, 
even  in  our  common  schools,  and  this  is  one  of  them — 
'  Facts  in  Physiology.'  " 

"  Well,  now,  do  tell  me  what  is  physiology." 

"  It  is  the  science  which  teaches  us  all  the  the  functions 
of  all  the  organs — all  the  parts  of  animals  and  plants." 

11  What,  all  ?" 

"  Yes,  mother,  all,  from  the  germination  of  the  seed,  to 
the  ripening  of  the  fruit." 

"  Well,  I  suppose  that  is  well  enough  about  fruit,  but  I 
thought  this  was  about  mankind  ;  and  I  don't  want  any 
child  of  mine  to  learn  all  these  secrets  about  themselves.  I 
don't  think  there  is  any  good  in  it,  unless  you  were  going 
to  be  a  doctor,  and  I  guess  this  world  never  will  come  to 
that  folly,  having  female  doctors." 

"  No,  not  if  the  study  of  everything  that  would  instruct 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN   GIRLS.          105 

us  in  our  own  natures  is  to  be  kept  from  us.  But  I  trust, 
mother,  that  the  day  will  come  when  a  female  physician,  or 
a  female  preacher  of  the  Gospel,  will  not  be  among  the 
things  unknown — as  all  the  sciences  in  the  world  are  now — 
to  the  majority  of  our  sex.  I  hope  the  time  will  come  when 
woman  will  think  she  has  some  rights  in  the  world,  and  not 
be  afraid  to  speak  what  she  thinks." 

"  Well,  well,  I  should  think  that  you  have  been  studying 
things  that  have  put  you  out  of  your  right  mind.  Why,  I 
never  heard  anybody  go  on  so.  If  this  Dr.  Field  has  been 
putting  such  notions  into  your  head,  I  hope  he  will  never 
come  here  again.  Female  doctors,  indeed.  Who  ever 
jieard  of  such  a  thing  ?" 

"  Supposing  that  we  never  have,  that  is  no  argument 
against  the  possibility  of  our  hearing  of  such  a  wonderful 
thing  in  some  future  time.  Christ  was  not  heard  of  until 
he  came  on  earth,  and  the  Christian  religion  is  not  very 
ancient.  As  for  what  Dr.  Field  said,  I  assure  you  he  said 
nothing  upon  this  subject  ;  but  upon  another  ;  what  he 
said — what  he  advised  me  to  do — I  am  sure  you  would 
approve,  for  it  concerned  you  as  well  as  me." 

Alida  then  related  to  her  mother  the  advice  which  he 
had  given  in  regard  to  assigning  her  legacy  to  her  mother, 
though  she  did  not  tell  her  that  she  had  agreed  to  a  propo 
sition  for  a  clandestine  marriage.  Mrs.  Blythe  could  not 
but  approve  of  the  proposition,  though  she  still  determined 
not  to  give  her  consent  to  their  union,  and  to  prevent  it  if 
possible  ;  and  she  had  no  doubt  of  her  ability  to  do  so 

She  did  not  know  that  Alida  had  made  up  her  mind  upon 

5* 


106  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

the  subject,  and  although  it  would  not  now  be  the  marriage 
of  love  that  it  would  have  been  some  months  ago,  she  could 
not  forget  how  she  had  loved  Nat  Brandon,  and  in  fact, 
loved  him  still,  and  as  soon  as  she  had  produced  the  reform 
so  confidently  anticipated,  she  would  again  love  him  with 
all  the  ardent  affection  of  youth's  first,  fond,  happy,  sweet, 
gushing  love  of  the  heart.  Poor  girl,  she  had  not  yet  suffi 
ciently  studied  mankind  to  know  that  all  of  his  love  for  her 
should  be  spelt  with  only  the  first  letter  of  love,  and  three 
other  letters  that  form  a  word  of  very  different  import  from 
that  which  blesses  all  who  feel  its  influence,  while  the 
other  only  debases  its  victims. 

Love  is  an  attribute  of  angels.  Lust  is  the  base  passion 
of  corrupt  nature  ;  one  of  the  devil's  strong  aids  ;  for  it 
often  makes  men  do  devilish  acts  of  folly  and  wickedness. 
Its  effect  upon  Nat  Brandon  we  shall  see  in  the  succeeding 
pages. 

While  we  leave  Mrs.  Blythe  and  Alida  to  return  to  their 
home,  let  us  look  again  into  the  old  still-house. 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  old  still-house — A  mysterious  voice — Conspirators  of  Alida's  ruin,  alarmed — 
Disappointed — Marriage  postponed — Nat  has  to  go  to  Montreal,  and,  what  he 
intends  to  do — Swears  vengeance  upon  Mike,  for  the  kiss  to  Alida — Nat  and  his 
companions  plotting — Dr.  Field  counter-plotting — The  madness  of  jealousy,  and 
meanness  of  revenge — The  story  just  beginning  to  be  interesting— Money  is  the 
root  of  evil — Dr.  Field  goes  to  meet  Mike,  the  sequel  of  which  will  not  be  told  in 
this  chapter. 

NAT'S  companions  of  the  previous  evening,  had  met  by 
appointment,  to  hear  the  report  of  Nat  in  answer  to  his 
letter,  and  if  favorable,  to  make  arrangements  for  consumma 
ting  the  iniquitous  scheme  they  had  concocted.  They  began 
to  get  impatient  that  Nat  had  not  yet  returned,  and  some 
of  them  prophesied  a  dead  failure  of  the  plan.  If  a  stran 
ger  had  been  where  he  could  have  overheard  this  conversa 
tion,  he  would  have  heard  that  all  of  them  had  been  suitors 
of  Alida,  and  had  each  in  his  turn  been  rejected,  and  that 
now,  in  a  mean  spirit  of  revenge  for  the  slight  thus  put  upon 
them,  they  were  plotting  together  to  accomplish  her  ruin. 
How  it  is  possible  for  so  mean  a  spirit  ever  to  find  habita 
tion  in  a  human  breast,  can  only  be  accounted  for  upon  the 
hypothesis  that  the  long  use  of  ardent  spirits  tends  to  burn 
up  all  the  fine  feelings  of  humanity,  and  that  the  doctrine 
of  Pythagoras  has  already  taken  effect — that  the  soul  of 


108  GREKN- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

man  has,  even  before  death,  left  the  body  to  the  possession 
of  that  of  one  of  the  meanest  reptiles  on  earth.  Certainly 
no  man  ever  entertained  such  a  spirit  of  revenge.  No  man 
ever  hated  a  woman  for  rejecting  his  proposals,  though  hon 
estly  made,  for  a  matrimonial  alliance.  He  would  respect 
her  for  her  independence  and  candor. 

"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  boys,"  said  John  Longwood,  "  I 
will  bet  you  a  treat  all  round,  at  May  muster,  that  Nat 
"caves  in.  He  will  get  alongside  of  her,  and  instead  of 
trusting  to  the  letter,  will  go  talking  over  matters,  and  then 
she  will  come  the  soft  over  him,  till  he  won't  stick  to  the 
bargain." 

"  I  don't  think  so.  He  must  have  the  money.  He  is 
amazingly  hard  up.  And  besides,  what  does  he  care  ;  he 
would  marry  a  dozen  girls,  if  he  could  get  a  chance.  If  he 
wouldn't,  I  would." 

"  No  doubt  of  it,  Scale,  you  did  try  hard  enough  to  bring 
Alida  to  the  scratch,  but  you  could  not  make  that  horse 
run,  ha,  ha." 

"  Well,  if  Nat  marries  her,  I  don't  care.  I  will  have 
my  revenge  then  out  of  the  stuck-up  baggage." 

"  Now  that  is  just  what  we  are  afraid  of,  that  he  will 
marry  her.  W.e  only  want  a  sham.  Blythe,  you  know,  is 
to  act  the  parson.  With  his  big  wig  and  false  whiskers,  in  a 
dark  room,  she  never  will  know  the  odds.  What  do  you 
say,  Blythe  ?" 

"  Why,  that  I  am  sorry  we  have  undertaken  this  business. 
Alida  is  a  good  girl,  and  she  ought  not  to  be  deceived 
Let  us  give  it  up." 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  109 

"  Chicken-hearted  fool,  you  had  better  turn  traitor  now. 
But  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  old  fellow,  if  you  do  blow  on  us,  by 
the  powers  of  whisky,  I  will  turn  States  evidence,  and  bring 
old  Zef  Tharp  up,  and  hang  every  mother's  son  of  you, 
if  I  hang  myself:" 

"  That's  the  sort,  John.  I  have  made  up  my  mind  that 
Nat  shall  marry  Alida  Blythe,  this  night,  or  at  least  pre 
tend  to  do  it,  or  I  will  never  taste  a  drop  of  whisky  as  long 
as  I  live."* 

"  Then  you  will  be  a  tee-totaller  for  the  rest  of  your  life, 
I  will  swear  to  that." 

This  startling  announcement  came  through  the  wall  of 
the  building,  from  the  outside.  The  conspirators  had  for 
gotten  that  "  walls  have  ears,"  and  that  in  the  excitement  of 
the  moment,  they  had  been  talking  in  quite  too  loud  a  key 
for  their  own  good.  They  rushed  to  the  spot  to  see  who 
owned  the  voice  that  had  alarmed  them  to  such  a  degree, 
with  "  death  to  the  spy  "  in  their  hearts,  if  not  on  their 
tongues,  but  just  as  they  reached  the  door,  some  one 
jumped  into  the  upper  loft  from  a  window  next  the  side 
hill,  a  mode  of  entrance  very  common  for  any  one  coming 
across  the  lot  from  the  house.  In  a  moment  more  they 
saw  it  was  Nat,  and  burst  into  a  hearty  laugh  at  the  "  good 
joke  ;"  but  as  they  did  not  condescend  to  tell  him  what  the 
good  joke  was,  of  course  he  offered  no  explanation,  and 
they  were  so  well  satisfied  that  the  words  had  come  from 
him  that  they  never  reflected,  that  from  the  time  they  were 
spoken,  it  would  have  been  quite  impossible  for  him  to  have 
climbed  the  bank,  and  got  round  to  the  window.  If  he  had 


110  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

not  reached  that  window  at  the  moment  he  did,  and  arrested 
their  attention,  they  would  have  discovered  as  soon  as  they 
got  round  the  corner  who  the  spy  was,  who  had  been  listen 
ing  for  the  last  ten  minutes,  to  their  nefarious  plots  against 
that  innocent  girl.  It  was  a  happy  circumstance  that 
they  were  deceived  into  the  illusion  that  it  was  all  "  one  of 
Nat's  good  jokes." 

As  soon  as  Nat  could  quiet  their  boisterous  laugh  at  his 
good  joke  and  their  severe  fright,  he  inquired  fd?  Dr.  Field. 

"  Has  not  been  here  :  why,  he  rode  round  the  fence  and 
said  he  would  be  here  before  I  would,  and  I  went  back,  too, 
after  I  started,  so  that  he  ought  to  have  been  here  ten  or 
fifteen  minutes.  Haven't  you  seen  him,  though,  boys,  now, 
honor  bright  ?" 

No,  they  had  not  seen  him,  but  they  had  heard  him,  and 
he  had  heard  them,  and  coupling  the  few  words  heard,  with 
a  few  more  from  Mike,  and  a  few  more  from  Alida,  and 
drawing  conclusions  from  all  of  them,  he  was  convinced  that 
the  nefarious  plot  did  exist  of  leading  Alida  into  a  sham 
marriage,  and  he  determined  to  thwart  the  villainous  plan. 
When  he  heard  the  declaration  of  Scale  Williams,  it  was 
his  intention  to  walk  right  in  and  confront  the  conspirators, 
and  charge  them  to  their  teeth  with  what  he  knew  or  sur 
mised  ;  but  the  entrance  of  Nat  gave  him  a  moment  for 
reflection,  and  he  jumped  on  his  horse,  and  stepped  quietly 
around  the  point  of  the  hill,  and  rode  into  the  woods  with 
out  letting  any  one  know  that  he  had  been  near  them  ; 
determined  to  act  in  future  upon  the  valuable  information 
that  he  had  thus  accidentally  gained. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  Ill 

Nat's  companions  were  anxious  to  know  "What  suc 
cess  ?" — "  Did  she  consent  ?" — "  Will  you  go  to-night  ?" 
"  Shall  we  get  ready  ?"  &c.,  &c. 

"  Yes,  I  must  get  ready — I  have  got  to  start  for  Mon 
treal  in  two  hours,  and  be  gone  a  week  or  more.  Our  boat 
is  all  adrift." 

"  Why,  what  is  the  matter  now  ?  You  are  not  going  to 
back  out,  are  you  ?" 

"  Back  out,  no  ;  if  you  had  seen  what  I  have  this  morn 
ing,  you  would  not  think  I  would  back  out,  I  guess.  I 
wish  I  had  let  you  pour  the  hot  stuff  down  that  imp's 
throat  last  night — blast  him — I  could  tear  his  heart  out — 
and  hers  too,  and  would,  if  I  warnt  obliged  to  keep  a  fair 
face  till  I  have  accomplished  my  purposes.  The  smooth 
faced  hypocrite,  to  talk  to  me  about  drinking,  and  immo 
rality  and  all  that  sort  of  puritanical  stuff.  Oh !  but  let  me 
only  once  get  her  in  my  power,  and  I  will  pay  her  off  with 
interest." 

"  Halloo  1  what's  broke.  Why,  the  fellow  is  fairly  boil 
ing  over." 

"  Well,  I  guess  you  would  boil  over  too,  if  you  had  seen 
what  I  have." 

"  Well,  what  is  it  ?  Let  us  know,  and  we  will  help  you 
boil.  Come,  fire  up." 

"  I  know  what  it  is,  she  has  cut  him  dead — given  him  the 
mitten — sacked  him — positively  refused — ha  !  ha  I" 

"  Shut  up  your  fly-trap,  John  Longwood,  or  I  will  send 
your  teeth  after  the  last  drink,  down  your  dirty  throat." 

"  Come,  come,  Nat,  no  quarrelling  with  John  ;  take  a  drink 


112  GREEN- MOUNT  A  IN     GIRLS. 

and  be  friends  again,  and  tell  us  what  it  is.  If  she  has 
refused  you,  why,  then,  I  will  tell  you  what  we  will  do — we 
will  carry  her  off,  and  she  shall  stand  up  to  the  ceremony, 
or  never  come  back.  Peaceably  if  we  can — forcibly  if  we 
must — that's  my  motto.  What  do  you  say,  Blythe  ?" 

"  Oh,  I  have  promised  to  go  with  you,  you  know.  Let's 
drink." 

"  Let's  drink,  why  you  are  drunk  now.  You  are  a  pretty 
son  of  a  parson." 

"  Well,  who  learned  me  to  drink  ?  My  old  dad.  Don't 
he  love  it  just  as  well  as  I  do  ?" 

"  Ha,  ha  !  you  are  a  chip  of  the  old  block.  I  say,  Blythe, 
do  you  know  what  the  devil  says  of  your  father  ?" 

"  No  !  do  you  ?» 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  out  with  it— what  is  it  ?" 

"  '  Oh  you  are  the  parson  for  me.' " 

"  Good  ;  I  will  tell  the  old  man  of  that  the  next  time  he 
preaches  to  me  for  taking  a  little  something  comfortable  of 
a  cold  day.  But  I  say,  Nat,  did  my  pretty  cousin  give  you 
the  cut,  ha  ?" 

"No  ;  you  are  all  in  the  bushes  about  the  case.  She'was  as 
willing  as  I  was.  I  went  over  there  in  the  morning,  and  slip 
ped  the  letter  into  her  hands,  as  I  met  her  at  the  door,  and 
simply  said  good  morning,  sort  of  careless,  and  went  in  and 
sat  and  talked  awhile  about  matters  with  the  old  woman,  and 
as  I  did  not  ask  to  see  her  lady  daughter,  she  began  to  be 
quite  gracious,  and  not  afraid  thatl  would  bite  her  like  a  mad 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  113 

dog.  Ainoog  other  things  I  told  her  that  I  had  entirely 
quit  drinking." 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha  !     Good." 

"  Well,  so  I  had.  I  warn't  drinking  then  ;  and  then  her 
eyes  sparkled,  and  she  said  that  if  I  would  stick  to  that  one 
year,  she  would  give  her  consent  for  Alida  and  me  to  get 
married.  The  old  fool,  to  think  I  was  going  to  do  penance 
for  her  for  a  whole  year.  Just  then  Alida  came  in,  and  said, 
'  a  whole  year  mother  ?'  '  Yes,  and  a  very  short  time  for  one 
of  your  age  to  wait.'  And  then  I  said,  'Well,  Alida,  what  do 
you  say  to  that  proposition/  and  she  held  up  the  letter,  as 
she  stood  behind  her  mother's  chair,  and  said  '  Well  I  s'pose  I 
must  say  yes — there  is  no  other  way  I  see.'  To  that  I 
answered,  'Very  well  I  shall  do  what  I  say,  and  be  on  hand  at 
the  time.'  Then  she  replied,  'Very  well,'  I  shall  be  ready,  and 
wait  for  you.'  Warn't  that  done  cute,  boys  ?  The  old  woman 
never  suspected  that  we  were  talking  anything  but  what  she 
understood  perfectly.  So  I  went  off  at  that,  over  home,  and 
started  up  to  the  sugar  camp,  and  on  my  way  up  there,  I 
saw  that  infernal  imp  of  Satan,  Mike,  sneaking  through  the 
woods,  and  I  followed  him,  for  I  can  dodge  behind  trees 
about  as  fast  as  he  can.  just  to  see  what  rascality  the  sneak 
ing  puppy  was  up  to." 

"Why,  I  thought  he  went  with  Field — he  promised  to 
take  him  clear  out  of  the  country." 

"  I  know  it,  but  Mike -has  given  him  the  slip.  Field  was 
in  a  great  hurry  just  now,  to  get  off  to  go  down  to  Decker's, 
where  the  doctor  expects  to  meet  the  dirty  vagabond.  I 


114  GREEN- MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

had  a  good  mind  to  tell  him  that  he  need  not  hurry  himself, 
but  I  thought  I  would  not,  for  I  want  it  generally  under 
stood  that  Mike  has  gone  off  with  Field,  because,  as  true  as 
I  live,  the  first  time  I  meet  him,  I  have  an  account  to  settle 
with  him,  that  he  can  only  pay  in  one  way — I  will  teach  him 
to  put  his  lips  to  those  that  I  have  kissed,  and  expect  to 
kiss  again.  I  will  tear  his  soul  out,  if  I  am  hung  for  it  the 
next  minute." 
-  "  Why,  how  now,  Nat,  you  are  raving  ?" 

"  Well,  I  know  I  am.  I  am  raving  mad,  and  so  would 
you  be,  if  you  had  seen  what  I  did." 

"  Then,  tell  us  what  it  is." 

"  Didn't  I  ?     I  thought  I  had." 

"  No,  you  only  said  you  saw  Mike  sneaking  through  the 
woods,  and  followed  him." 

"  Oh  !  yes,  out  to  Blythe's  clearing,  and  there  I  stopped 
behind  a  tree,  while  he  went  out  to  the  big  rock  " 

"  Courting  rock  ?" 

"  Yes  ;  where  you  got  enough  of  it.  Directly  I  saw 
Alida  coming  up  through  the  field,  with  her  work  and  a 
book  in  her  hand,  and  she  sat  down  and  took  out  my  letter, 
and  commenced  reading  it  over  again.  What  a  chance  for  me 
it  would  have  been,  but  there  was  that  puppy  on  the  other 
side,  and  I  could  not  stir.  I  could  have  shot  him,  with  a 
good  will,  if  I  had  had  my  rifle  with  me.  I  would  have 
shot  them  both  a  little  after  that,  if  it  had  been  in  my 
power,  and  no  mistake.  I  never  was  so  mad  in  my  life. 
She  is  a  jilt  and  I  am  a  fool.  After  she  had  finished  the 
letter,  his  honor,  Mr  Granly,  walks  around  as  bold  as 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  115 

though »he  was  somebody,  and  I  think  they  talked  for  an 
hour — about  me,  and  about  that  letter,  and  about  what 
he  had  heard  last  night,  I  know  it  was  by  the  motion  of 
things,  and  do  you  know,  boys,  I  believe  that  deceitful  minx 
— and  he  grated  his  teeth  in  a  rage  of  jealousy — that  abo 
minable  coquette — likes  that  scamp  better  than  she  does 
any  of  us — than  me,  whom  she  has  engaged,  time  after 
time,  to  marry  ?" 

"  Oh,  nonsense  !" 

"  Xo,  it  is  not  nonsense — I  will  convince  you.  After 
talking  with  her  a  long  time,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
making  her  promise  not  to  go  off  with  me  to-night,  and  just 
as  I  was  about  to  rush  down  upon  them,  for  I  could  not 
stand  it  any  longer,  'he  got  ready  to  go,  when  he  actually 
had  the  impudence,  right  before  my  eyes,  to  stoop,  or  kneel 
down  and  kiss  her." 

"  Kiss  her  ?" 

"  Kiss  her." 

"  And  you  saw  it  ?" 

"  Yes,  but  that  was  not  all.  It  was  not  a  kiss  upon  her 
cheek  ;  such  as  she  lets  me  steal  once  in  a  while,  but  right 
on  the  lips.  Oh  !  you  need  not  gesticulate,  for  that  is  not 
all.  She  put  her  arms  around  his  neck,  and  kissed  him.  I 
was  fairly  blind  with  rage,  and  when  I  looked  up  again,  he 
was  running  down  toward  the  big  hemlock,  and  I  after  him 
but  he  had  too  much  the  start ;  I  could  not  overhaul  him." 

"  Did  he  see  you  ?" 

"  I  don't  think  he  did,  but  he  would  have  felt  me  if  I  had 
come  up  with  him.  Boys,  you  must  stand  by  me,  and  we 


116  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

will  stop  his  amorous  propensities  the  first  time*  that  he 
ever  sets  his  foot  in  the  old  still-house  ;  and  as  for  her — 
why,  I  have  had  some  twinges  of  conscience  about  our  plans 
— I  have  none  now — I  am  quite  cured  of  all  my  baby 
notions.  I  am  outrageous  mad  to  think  I  have  got  to  go 
off  to-night,  just  as  everything  was  arranged  to  humble  that 
proud,  deceitful  bundle  of  hypocrisy." 

"Never  mind,  Nat  ;  if  you  are  going  to  Montreal,  you 
will  see  the  pretty  little  Canuck  girl,  Marie  Louisa." 

"Yes,  and  if  I  do,  if  she  is  in  the  same  mind  she  was 
when  I  parted  with  her  the  last  time,  I  will  marry  her 
before  I  come  back,  see  if  I  don't.  I  am  not  going  to  be 
fooled  and  jilted  any  more." 

"  But  Alida  ?" 

"  I'll  pick  the  fruit,  and  leave  the  tree  to  blossom  after 
wards,  and  cast  its  fragrance  upon  the  desert  air.  But  I 
must  be  off  now.  Promise  me  one  thing,  though — don't 
one  of  you  touch  that  Mike,  till  I  come  back — that  is  my 
job." 

"  Very  well,  just  as  you  say  ;  but  what  takes  you  off  in 
such  a  hurry  ?" 

"  Oh,  it  is  some  of  Dr.  Field's  and  the  old  man's  business. 
But  I  don't  care  ;  it  will  give  me  another  opportunity  to  see 
my  little  Canadian.  So  good-bye,  boys — mind  what  I  say 
about  Mike  ;  I  am  to  settle  with  him.  He  shall  kiss  red 
hot  coals  of  fire,  ten  times,  for  every  once  that  he  has  touched 
lips  that  I  claim.  And  as  for  her,  I'll  make  her  rue  the 
day  she  played  the  jilt  with  me.  I'll  have  her  money  and 
be  revenged  upon  her  at  the  same  time." 


G RE  EN  -  MO UNT AIN     GIRLS.  lit 

What  a  heartless  scoundrel.  Talking  of  revenge  upon 
poor  Alicia,  because  she  had  allowed  a  poor,  friendless  boy, 
iu  his  gratitude  for  her  kindness  to  him,  to  give  her  a  fare 
well  token  of  grateful  affection,  and  in  the  same  breath 
declaring  his  intention  of  marrying  a  girl  who  he  had 
become  fascinated  with,  in  some  of  his  smuggling  excursions 
into  Canada.  This  had  undoubtedly  been  his  object  for 
some  time,  and  the  different  times  he  had  put  off  his  mar 
riage  with  Alida,  had  grown  out  of  this  new  amour  ;  and 
his  object  now,  and  thoughts  were,  how  he  could  get  the 
person  of  one,  and  money  of  the  other.  Alida's  money  had 
kept  him  from  marrying  the  Canadian  girl,  who  was  poor, 
uneducated,  and  unaccomplished,  except  in  the  arts  which 
some  girls  seem  to  possess  to  charm  a  man  into  their  toils, 
and  hold  them  fast  as  the  bird  within  the  charmed  circle  of 
the  serpent's  fascination.  He  had  originally  felt  as  much 
love  for  Alida  as  such  men  are  capable  of  feeling  ;  but  as 
she  was  more  calculated  to  win  love  by  her  intellectual  beau 
ties,  than  by  such  propensities  as  those  of  Nat — for  he  was 
so  formed  by  nature  that  the  animal  preponderated  over 
the  intellectual  sentiment — she  had  been  taken  captive  by 
one  whose  whole  strength  lay  in  such  qualities  as  belong  in 
common  to  all  animal  natures,  before  they  are  reiined  by 
education. 

Nat  Brandon  was  no  more  a  villain  by  nature  than 
thousands  of  others,  who  stimulate  passions,  that  are  natu 
rally  almost  uncontrollable,  until  they  are  quite  so,  by 
the  use  of  alcoholic  drinks,  which,  at  the  same  time  they 
sharpen  one  appetite,  have  a  tendency  to  blunt  all  the  finer 


118  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

feelings  of  nature  or  education,  until  one,  created  in  the 
image  of  God,  sinks  to  the  level  of  a  brute — sinks  dowa 
until  he  has  but  one  desire — to  gratify  a  depraved  appetite, 
and  brutish  passion. 

Brought  up  anywhere  but  in  that  old  still-house  ; 
that  manufactory  of  death  to  all  who  touched  its  products  ; 
taught  from  his  early  boyhood  to  look  upon  its  effects  with 
out  a  thought  of  its  killing  more  or  less  victims  every  year, 
though  killing  them  legally,  and  without  prejudice  to  the 
killers,  what  else  was  to  be  expected,  than  that  Nat  should 
grow  bad  at  heart,  if  not  naturally  so.  They  well  knew 
that  they  had  shortened  the  life  of  old  Zep  Tharp,  but  Nat 
and  his  associates  in  crime,  applied  this  salvo  to  their  con 
sciences,  "  that  he  would  have  killed  himself  in  a  year  or 
two,  at  any  rate,  and  he  was  no  use  to  the  world,  but  a 
burden  to  his  family,  and  better  out  of  the  way,  and  so, 
what  is  the  odds  of  a  year  or  two  of  the  life  of  an  old 
drunkard  ?"  They  did  not  ask,  "  Who  made  him  so  ?"  that 
would  have  been  too  much  of  a  home  question.  Nat,  or 
rather  his  father,  would  have  had  to  answer,  "  true,  we 
make  whisky  to  sell,  but  we  do  not  oblige  anybody  to  buy 
it — they  can  drink  it,  or  let  it  alone,  just  as  they  please — 
we  do  not  want  anybody  to  be  such  a  fool  as  Zep  Tharp, 
to  drink  up  everything  he  has,  and  then  come  loafing 
around,  begging,  or  cutting  a  little  wood,  or  tending  fires 
for  what  he  wants  to  drink,  because  he  will  get  drunk,  and 
then  there  is  no  dependence  upon  him." 

Yet  the  time  was  that  Zep  Tharp  could  be  depended  upon  ; 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  11 

and  time  was  when  he  had  a  snug,  comfortable  home  and 
was  a  sober  man — a  good  husband  and  kind  father.  Time 
was  when  he  first  went  to  work  in  Deacon  Brandon's  har 
vest  field,  that  he  only  took  now  and  then  a  dram  ;  but 
here  it  was  free  as  water,  and  instead  of  giving  his  men  a 
lunch,  he  gave  them  sweetened  whisky,  for  that  was  cheap 
er — it  cost  him  but  little,  it  cost  them  their  lives  ;  and  it  so 
deadened  the  moral  sentiment  of  his  son  that  he  felt  no  com 
punctions  of  conscience  when  he  did  an  act  to  a  poor  help 
less  girl,  that  aroused  the  last  spark  of  manhood  in  the  father, 
which  he  and  his  coadjutors  in  the  first  crime,  quenched  with 
a  death  potion. 

It  was  this  blunting  of  humanity  that  had  brought  his 
mind  to  the  conception  of  his  more  than  murderous  idea  of 
leading  the  gentle  Alida  into  a  false  marriage,  so  as  to  rob 
her,  not  only  of  her  money,  but  of  all  peace  of  mind  forever. 

The  full  consummation  of  this  nefarious  scheme,  Dr.  Field 
determined  to  counteract  by  his  superior  skill  and  general 
ship,  and  would  have  succeeded  if  he  had  known  the  full 
extent  of  the  villainy  in  progress.  He  had  no  idea  in  send 
ing  Nat  to  Montreal,  that  he  was  sending  him  where,  in  his 
present  state  of  mind,  he  would  put  it  out  of  his  power  to 
consummate  his  marriage  legally  with  Alida.  Field  thought 
that  the  money  that  Nat  was  fishing  for  would  be  secure 
before  his  return,  and  as  Alida  had  made  up  her  mind  that 
it  was  her  duty,  as  of  course  it  was  her  inclination,  to  become 
his  wife,  he  would  take  care  that  the  knot  should  be  tied 
by  a  real,  and  not  by  a  counterfeit  priest. 


120  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

With  his  mind  boyant  with  these  feelings  Dr.  Field  left 
the  old  still-house  and  plunged  into  the  forest  for  a  near  cut 
through  the  trackless  woods  over  to  the  road  to  Decker's, 
where  he  had  agreed  to  meet  Mike. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  121 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Michael  bids  a  long  farewell  to  Brandon  Valley,  with  a  heart  as  light  as  his  travel 
ling  baggage — Tokens  of  remembrance — The  welcome  of  a  ragged  boy  at  a  road 
side  inn — Decker's  tavern — Mrs.  Decker — Her  portrait  drawn — Michael  sent  to 
the  kitchen  for  his  supper — The  reason  he  did  not  eat  it — Bringing  in  oven 
wood,  a  most  amusing  scene — Noise  and  confusion — A  woman  frightened,  and  a 
woman  angry — The  story  of  George  Norton,  and  his  blue-eyed  wife,  and  her 
prayerful  influence — Dr.  Field  arrives,  and  refuses  to  drink — Decker  astonished 
— The  world  turning  wrong  side  out— Another  convert  to  woman's  influence 
— This  is  a  chapter  in  which  the  reader  can  indulge  a  hearty  laugh. 

AFTER  Michael  had  parted  with  Alida,  he  made  his  way 
at  once  to  the  place  appointed  to  meet  Dr.  Field.  He 
merely  stopped  a  moment  as  he  passed,  at  the  widow 
Tharprs,  to  say  a  kind  word,  and  good-bye,  and  gather  a 
few  little  articles  that  he  wished  to  carry  with  him  to  his 
new  home.  The  most  valued  of  these,  were  some  books 
given  him  by  Alida,  in  which  he  had  written  her  name  and 
his  on  the  same  page. 

His  heart  was  as  light  as  his  travelling  baggage,  as  he 
turned  to  look  his  last  look,  upon  a  valley  to  which  he  owed 
all  that  is  due  to  a  place  that  gave  him  his  birth,  and 
nothing  more. 

It  was  fortunate  for  this  poor  boy,  that  he  had  found  a 
friend.  It  was  fortunate,  that  he  had  determined  to  leave 


122  GREEN -MO  UN  TAIN      GIRLS. 

Brandon  Valley,  for  there  lay  his  road  to  ruin — temptation 
— and  evil  associates.  Besides,  there  is  no  telling  what  evil 
the  demon  of  the  old  still-house,  might  have  prompted  those 
young  men  in  a  fit  of  intoxication,  to  inflict  upon  him,  if  he 
had  come  again  within  reach  of  their  revengeful  wickedness. 
Death,  or  mutilation,  almost  as  bad,  might  have  been  his 
doom.  But  he  had  turned  his  back  upon  that  place  for  ever, 
and  as  the  sun  took  his  western  course,  he  started  iu  the 
same  direction. 

It  was  late  in  the  evening  when  he  reached  Decker's,  and 
still  later,  when  Dr.  Field  arrived,  and  Mike  had  been  look 
ing  for  him  till  he  was  almost  in  despair.  *  He  told  his  story 
to  Decker,  and  he  believed  it,  and  sent  him  to  the  kitchen 
to  get  some  supper,  knowing  that  Dr.  Field  would  pay  the 
bill,  and  he  even  urged  him  to  take  a  dram,  and  seemed 
quite  surprised,  to  think  a  boy  of  his  appearance  should 
refuse  ;  it  was  a  thing  he  could  not  understand,  "  why 
such  a  fellow,  after  being  out  all  day,  hungry  and  cold, 
should  refuse  to  warm  himself  at  night,  with  a  draru."  It 
was  a  new  idea,  and  when  Michael  told  him  that  he  never 
should  drink  again  as  long  as  he  lived,  he  replied  : 

"  Nonsense,  boy,  you  will  come  over  that.  What,  live 
without  taking  a  little,  '  0  be  joyful  ;'  Oh  no,  depend  upon 
it,  you  won't  stick  to  that  notion  long,  I  tell  you." 

"  Well,  we  shall  see." 

"  Yes,  yes,  we  shall  see,  and  you  will  taste,  depend  upon 
it  ;  you  never  can  stand  all  alone  in  such  a  queer  resolution." 

"  I  don't  intend  to  stand  alone.  I  hope  to  live  to  have 
plenty  of  company.  I  hope  to  live  to  see  the  day,  when 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  123 

liquor  will  be  neither  made,  nor  sold,  nor  drank,  in  Ver 
mont." 

"  Pooh  !  nonsense,  boy,  go  and  get  your  supper.  You 
are  a  fool,  or  crazy.  Live  to  see  the  day  that  whisky  won't 
be  made,  or  sold,  or  drank  among  the  Green  Mountain 
Boys.  No  man  will  ever  live  to  see  that  day." 

How  this  dispenser  of  alcohol  was  deceived  in  his  cal 
culations.  He  looked  upon  the  thing  as  utterly  preposter 
ous.  He  even  did  not  know  that  he  himself  could  dispense 
with  the  daily  use  of  stimulants,  so  long  had  he  beeu 
accustomed  to  their  exhilarating  effects. 

He  did  not  consider  himself  a  drunkard,  and  would  have 
felt  highly  incensed  at  being  classed  among  that  body  of  his 
customers;  and  he  would  have  been  quite  indignant  if 
charged  with  having  been  the  cause  of  reducing  them  to 
their  present  depraved  condition,  or  if  told  there  was  any 
danger  of  his  ever  becoming  like  one  of  them,  and  yet  he 
used  to  brag  of  it,  as  something  worthy  of  approbation, 
that  he  "  had  not  gone  to  bed  in  ten  years,  without  feeling 
happy."  It  is  not  surprising  that  such  a  man  should  have 
disbelieved  in  the  millennium  now  actually  enjoyed  by  the 
citizens  of  Vermont,  and  that  a  large  portion  of  the  Green 
Mountain  Boys,  and  Green  Mountain  Girls,  could  no  more 
be  persuaded  to  drink  whisky,  than  he  could  persuade 
Mike  Grauly  ; — a  boy  so  lately  known  as  "  drunken 
Mike." 

However,  as  Mike  was  really  hungry,  he  lost  no  time  in 
making  his  way  to  the  kitchen,  where  he  made  known  his 
wants  to  Mrs.  Decker,  who,  like  a  majoriy  of  old  time 


124  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

Yankee  housewives,  was  the  presiding  genius  over  this 
most  important  department. 

It  is  not  unlikely,  if  her  portrait  had  been  painted  by  a 
student  of  heathen  mythological  science,  that  he  would  have 
represented  her  with  a  torch  in  one  hand,  and  a  whip  of 
scorpions  in  the  other.  Certainly,  if  he  had  long  been  an 
inmate  of  her  dominions,  he  would  not  have  represented  her 
in  the  character  of  Aglaia,  Thalia,  or  Euphrosyne. 

If  he  had  exhibited  her  unadorned,  to  nature  true,  her 
portrait  would  have  been  that  of  a  coarse,  red-haired  wo 
man,  with  a  broad  red  face,  her  head  wide  from  ear  to  ear, 
her  eyes  darting  fire,  her  lips  thin,  her  mouth  large  when 
opened,  but  generally  closely  compressed,  her  nostrils  large 
and  wide  open,  and  ready  to  snuff  up  treason,  or  smell  out 
little  delinquencies  among  her  immediate  subjects,  almost 
before  they  were  conscious  of  them  themselves  ;  and  she  would 
discover  any  shortcomings  of  her  peaceable  and  peace-loving 
husband,  sooner  than  he  could  discover  them  by  his  own 
intuition.  If  the  rum  bottles  in  the  bar  ran  low,  without 
a  corresponding  increase  among  the  fourpence-half-penny 
pieces  in  the  cash  drawer,  she  knew  at  once  that  her  lord 
and  master  of  the  house,  had  been  getting  into  one  of  his 
"fool-tricks,"  of  treating  the  loafers  that  constantly  hang 
around  a  country  bar-room.  In  fact  the  poor  man  was 
required,  under  severe  penalties,  to  do  all  his  own  drinking 
at  somebody  else's  expense.  If  somebody  was  not  there  to 
call  for  the  "  drinks  all  around,"  which  always  included  the 
landlord,  his  business  was,  whenever  he  took  a  "  solitaire," 
to  set  it  down  to  the  account  of  some  of  the  score  of  "  re- 


AREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  125 

spectable  names,"  who  kept  a  bar  account,  the  items  of 
which  were  never  very  closely  scanned,  or  if  they  were,  at 
the  settlement  of  accounts,  months  after,  it  was  utterly 
impossible  to  tell  whether  the  charges  were  correct  or  not. 
But  "  Decker  is  honest,"  and  that  was  enough.  He  always 
had  a  smile  too,  for  everybody,  and  that  body  supposed  "  it 
was  all  right,"  though  it  did  sometimes  seem  a  little  incom 
prehensible  to  those  who  worked  for  him,  off  and  on  for 
years,  or  furnished  him  with  meat  and  vegetables,  and 
at  every  such  furnishing,  or  at  every  meeting  and  parting 
with  one  who  labored  for  him,  he  was  sure  to  say ;  "Well,  it  is 
my  treat,  what  will  you  take  ?"  but  at  the  settlement  they 
never  found  a  balance  in  their  favor. 

It  was  my  task  once  to  post  these  bar-books — a  task  it 
was,  too,  for  it  had  not  been  done  for  twenty-four  years. 
The  accounts  had  been  kept  upon  "bar-blotters" — a  true 
name,  for  the  hard  earnings  of  many  a  poor  man  had  been 
blotted  out  upon  their  black  pages.  The  custom  had  been, 
whenever  a  customer  grew  very  importunate  to  have  his 
account  settled,  to  sit  down  and  "  pick  out  the  items,"  and 
set  the  amount  upon  a  piece  of  paper,  and  thus  balance 
the  account,  taking  good  care  not  to  have  any  witness  by, 
and  not  to  cross  off  the  original  entries,  as  they  might  be 
of  use,  in  case  of  death,  some  day,  to  save  the  widow  the 
trouble  of  managing  too  much  property. 

The  general  posting  of  the  books,  was  occasioned  first  by 
the  importunities  of  Madam  Decker,  and  secondly,  by  the 
pressing  of  one  George  Norton  for  a  settlement. 

George  had  been  one  of  the  workers,  off  and  on,  for  the 


126  GREEN-M  OUNTAI  X      GIRLS. 

whole  period  Decker  had  kept  the  house,  without  a  settle 
ment,  and  without  any  account  upon  his  own  side,  trusting 
all  to  the  bar-book  ;  but  finally,  growing  dissatisfied  with 
the  constant  assertion  that  "  We  are  about  square,  and  it  is 
no  use  to  look  over,"  George  was  not  willing  to  be  put  off, 
and  madam  insisted  that  if  the  accounts  were  now  to  be 
looked  over,  the  whole  should  be  regularly  posted,  and  she 
had  no  doubt  that  if  they  did  find  anything  due  George, 
they  would  find  enough  due  from  somebody  else,  to  more 
than  make  it  up. 

The  result  was,  in  the  case  of  examination  of  George 
Norton's  account,  that  in  spite  of  several  interlineations  of 
forgotten  drinks — forgotten  for  years  and  only  remembered 
as  the  credit  side  grew  too  large — a  balance  of  over  two 
hundred  dollars  was  found  due  him  ;  and  well  there  might 
be,  for  he  was  credited  with  upwards  of  two  thousand  four 
hundred  days'  works,  without  counting  the  hundreds  of  "  odd 
jobs,"  done  for  a  drink  or  meal  of  victuals,  all  of  which 
were  forgotten  to  be  credited,  while  the  drinks,  and  one  to 
the  landlord,  had  been  most  regularly  charged. 

The  declaration  of  the  result  brought  down  anathemas 
upon  the  head  of  the  poster  of  the  books,  and  the  aggrieved 
parties  would  not  believe  that  "  figures  won't  lie,"  until  they 
had  called  in  another  accountant,  who  spent  two  days  run 
ning  back  the  references,  and  verified  every  item. 

It  was  wonderful  to  see  with  what  a  bland  smile  George 
was  now  received,  and  how  he  was  cajoled  and  coaxed  to 
take  "  store  pay,"  or  "  trade  for  a  horse,  or  even  buy  a 
piece  of  land,"  half  rocks,  and  the  balance  alder  swamp 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS  127 

and  white  birches,  and  give  his  note  for  the  balance. 
George  was  inexorable — he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  have 
the  money  and  go  to  "  New  Connecticut,"  then  the 
El  Dorado  of  western  emigrants. 

"  The  obstinate  fool  I"  said  Decker. 

"  The  simple  tool  and  dupe  of  that  blue-eyed  wife  of  bis  I" 
said  Mrs.  Decker. 

"  The  shrewd  clever  fellow,  he  shows  that  he  has  got  a 
little  good  common  sense,"  said  a  few  of  the  neighbors. 
The  truth  is,  that  George  had  been  married  about  two 
years  to  that  blue-eyed  wife,  so  much  depreciated  by  Mrs. 
Decker,  because  she  was  as  mild  as  a  May  morning,  and  had 
had  such  an  influence  over  George,  that  he  seldom  spent 
a  clay  away  from  his  work,  or  an  evening  away  from  home, 
and  had  scarcely  touched  a  drop  of  rum  for  a  year,  and  had 
fully  determined,  that  he  would  leave  all  his  old  associates 
and  temptations,  and  go  West,  and  never  drink  another 
drop  as  long  as  he  lived. 

When  he  announced  this  resolution  to  his  wife,  how  she 
did  fling  her  arms  around  his  neck,  and  kiss  him  and  call 
him  her  blessed  George. 

Little  did  she  think  that  it  was  herself,  and  her  mild  sweet 
influence  that  had  won  him  back  to  a  life  of  blessed  happi 
ness. 

"  Oh,  then  we  shall  be  so  happy,  in  our  log  cabin,  a 
piece  of  land  all  our  own,  and  our  little  boy," — and  she  ran 
to  the  cradle  and  picked  up  the  baby,  and  laid  him  in 
George's  arms,  and  said,  "God  bless  you,  my  dear  husband, 
for  that  word  !  look  upon  that  blessed  child,  and  strengthen 


128  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

that  resolution  as  you  hope  for  blessings  upon  him,  and 
upon  yourself  and  me,  and  you  will  always  be  able  to  keep 
it,  and  then  we  will  train  him  up  with  the  same  principles, 
and  Oh,  what  a  blessing  he  will  be  to  us !  Let  us  thank 
God,  George ;"  and  she  knelt  down  by  his  side,  and  raised 
her  eyes  and  hands  in  the  attitude  of  prayer.  The  influence 
was  stronger  than  he  could  resist,  and  although  he  had  never 
knelt  before,  he  knelt  now,  and  poured  forth  his  soul  in 
heartfelt  thankfulness  to  God,  for  the  treasure  that  he  held 
in  his  arms,  and  for  the  greater  treasure  at  his  side. 

From  that  day  George  Norton  was  a  new  man.  It  only 
remained  for  him  to  settle  with  Decker,  and  if  he  could  get 
half  that  was  justly  due  him,  he  could  "  pull  up  stakes  and 
be  off."  It  was  for  this  that  he  would  make  no  compromises, 
or  go  into  any  trades,  but  insisted  upon  the  money. 

Finally  Decker  offered  him  a  pair  of  oxen,  some  of  the  kind 
that  abouud  in  New  England,  noble,  red,  strong,  docile  ani 
mals,  and  a  covered  wagon,  and  fifty  dollars  in  money.  It 
was  a  great  price  for  the  property,  but  George's  wife 
advised  him  to  take  it,  and  they  would  pack  themselves  and 
household  goods  into  the  wagon  and  start  at  once.  It 
was  a  happy  day  for  them  when  they  did  start,  notwith 
standing  Mrs.  Decker  said  they  were  going  to  the  devil. 
The  difference  was,  that  they  were  going  to  a  rich  country, 
and  George  became  one  of  the  wealthiest,  and  most  respect 
ed  farmers  in  Ohio,  and  the  little  boy  whom  he  held  in  his 
arms,  while  he  performed  the  first  act  of  family  worship 
of  his  life,  is  now  one  of  the  most  respected  members  of 
Congress  from  a  State  that  was  beyond  the  "Far  West," 


GREEN-MO UNTAIN     GIRLS.  129 

when  his  father  settled,  as  he  supposed,  upon  that  very 
identical  spot,  in  Ohio. 

Dear  me  what  a  digression  we  have  made,  leaving  poor 
Mike  hungry,  and  seeking  his  supper  in  Mrs.  Decker's  kitchen. 

It  is  no  matter,  however,  for  Mike  waited  longer  to  sat 
isfy  his  appetite,  than  I  have  taken  to  tell  the  story  of 
George  Norton,  and  the  blessed  influence  of  his  sweet- 
tempered  wife,  upon  his  future  destinies. 

When  Mike  entered  the  precincts  of  this  modern  virago, 
he  found  her  appearance,  as  I  have  described,  with  a  few 
additions.  Her  awful,  ugly  red  hair,  was  ornamented  with 
a  cap  of 'the  "best  bib  and  tucker"  order,  trimmed  with  red 
and  blue  ribbons.  She  wore  a  large  tow-cloth  apron  over 
her  best  calico  gown,  which  she  had  put  on  for  company  ; 
her  sleeves  were  shoved  up,  showing  a  brawny  arm  ;  in  her 
left  hand,  for  she  was  a  Benjaminite,  she  wielded  a  large 
butcher-knife,  with  which  she  had  just  been  chopping 
off  the  heads  of  half  a  dozen  fowls,  just  because  "  the  gal  " 
was  so  tender-hearted  about  killing  anything,  a  sort  of  deli- 
cateness  that  the  mistress  could  not  understand  ;  since  "  she 
delighted  to  cut  off  the  heads  of  the  tarnal  critters."  The 
blood  had  spirted  in  her  face,  and  on  her  arms,  and  over  her 
white  apron,  and  in  addition  to  personal  appearances,  she 
was  just  then  laying  down  the  law — kitchen  law — to  John, 
a  poor,  mean,  rum  soaked  hanger-on,  about  his  delinquency  in 
not  providing  "  oven-wood  before  night,  as  the  bread  would 
be  up  before  he  was  in  the  morning,  and  she  wanted  to  put  it 
in  the  oven  before  daylight,  and  not  a  stick  of  oven-wood  in 
the  house." 

6* 


130  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

"  Such  doings  I  am  not  going  to  put  up  with,  now  mind 
that,  you  poor,  miserable,  good  for  nothing  rum-sucker." 

So  he  was.  "Who  made  him  so  ?  Rum  from  her  hus 
band's  bar. 

It  was  in  vain  that  he  pleaded  "  that  there  had  been  so 
much  company,  and  so  many  horses  to  take  care  of,  that  he 
had  been  busy  all  the  time,  so  that  he  could  not  get  the 
oven-wood.  He  had  told  Mr.  Decker  about  it,  but  he  said 
'  never  mind,  the  horses  must  be  taken  care  of,  for  these  are 
folks  that  pay  well.  You  can  get  the  oven-wood  in  the 
morning — never  mind  to-night.' " 

"  He  said  that,  did  he  ?  Jo  Decker  said  that.  Go  tell  Jo 
Decker  to  come  here,  this  instant.  I  will  teach  him  to 
interfere  with  my  oven-wood." 

And  she  brandished  the  bloody  butcher  knife,  as  though 
she  would  make  oven-wood  of  the  said  Jo  Decker. 

It  was  just  at  this  juncture,  that  she  turned  round,  and 
saw  Mike,  standing  hat  in  hand,  patiently  waiting  his  turn. 
She  looked  upon  him  as  a  well-fed  tiger  would  look  upon  a 
lean  dog — as  too  poor  for  his  purposes. 

"  Well,  what  do  you  want  ?» 

"  Some  supper,  if  you  please." 

"  Supper  1  I  thought  so  ;.  you  look  like  a  hungry  hound. 
Who  sent  you  here  at  this  time  of  night  for  your  supper, 
when  supper  is  all  over  ?" 

"  Mr.  Decker,  ma'am." 

"  I  thought  so  ;  and  did  Mr.  Decker  get  the  pay  for  it  ?" 

"  No  ma'am,  but  "— 

"  But,  you  are  going  to  pay,  after  you  have  eaten  it. 


GREEN-MOUXTAIN      GIRLS.  131 

Now,  you  young  scape-gallows,  have  you  a  cent  of  money 
in  your  pockets  ?" 

"No,  ma'am,  but"— 

"  None  of  your  buts,  you  ragged  vagabond.  The  whole 
suit  upon  your  back  would  not  pay  for  your  supper.  Get 
out  of  the  kitchen,  or  you  will  go  out  without  your  ears." 

"  But  you  will  be  paid  for  my  supper." 

"  Who  will  pay  for  it,  I  should  like  to  know  ?" 

"  Dr.  Field." 

"  Is  Dr.  Field  here  to  say  so  ?" 

"  No  ma'am,  but  I  expect  him.     He  sent  me  here." 

"  To  eat  and  drink  on  his  account." 

"  No  ma'am  not  to  drink  ;  I  do  not  drink." 

"  Don't  drink.  Now  do  you  expect  me  to  believe  that? 
Such  a  looking  boy  as  you  are,  preaching  temperance  to 
me  !  I  don't  believe  one  word  you  say.  Dr.  Field  is  not 
such  a  fool  as  to  throw  away  his  money  upon  the  likes  of 
you.  You  are  a  young  scamp,  and  have  come  here  with  a 
lie  in  your  mouth  to  try  and  stuff  it  down  my  throat,  to  fill 
your  own.  Not  a  mouthful  do  you  ever  eat  in  my  house." 

"  I  do  not  lie,  if  I  am  ragged,  and  I  hope  to  live  to  see 
the  day  when  I  shall  wear  better  clothes  :  and  I  hope  if  I 
ever  have  food  for.  myself,  I  never  shall  turn  a  poor  hungry 
boy  away  without  giving  him  something  to  eat." 

Mrs.  Decker's  eyes  flashed  fire.  She  sprung  at  him  knife 
in  hand,  looking  as  though  she  would  execute  the  threat 
upon  his  ears.  As  she  approached  him,  Mike  folded  his  arms, 

and  stood  as  calm,  as  though  she  was  as  mild  as  she  was 

*  ° 

furious.     For  the  first  time  in  her  life  she  was  held  at  bay 


132  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

by  a  look.     She  was  fairly  cowed  in  her  own  den.     She 
stopped  and  looked  at  him  a  moment,  and  then  said  : 

"  Well,  I  never  saw  so  much  cool  impudence  in  my  life  ; 
who  are  you — what  is  your  name  ?" 

"  My  name  is  Michael  Granly,  and  that  is  all  I  know  of 
who  I  am.  I  am  now  a  poor  orphan  boy,  but  if  I  live  I  will 
be  a  man,  and  not  obliged  to  beg  for  a  meal  of  victuals,  or 
be  accused  of  lying  when  I  tell  how  it  will  be  paid  for." 

With  that  he  turned  to  leave  the  room,  where  he  felt  that 
he  had  been  treated  just  as  the  majority  of  the  world  are 
apt  to  treat  those  in  the  same  position.  His  heart  swelled 
not  with  revenge,  but  with  the  feeling  that,  although  almost 
all  he  came  in  contact  with  were  unfeeling,  and  inclined  to 
trample  upon  the  worm  in  their  path,  yet  the  world  held 
some  noble  souls  who  could  look  beyond  the  mere  outside 
"  show  of  dress. 

"  What  a  contrast,"  he  thought,  as  he  compared  Mrs. 
Decker  with  the  gentle  Alida." 

It  was  a  contrast,  to  be  sure,  that  eyes  less  sharp  than 
Mike's  could  see  at  half  a  glance. 

Mrs.  Decker  was  evidently  so  struck  with  the  independ 
ence  of  the  boy  and  his  proud  bearing,  so  contrary  to  anything 
she  had  ever  witnessed  before  in  one  of  his  appearance,  that 
she  partially  relented.  She  expected  that,  beggar  like,  he 
would  fawn  and  cringe,  as  the  scorpion  lash  was  applied,  and 
still  beg  for  something  to  eat  ;  and  after  doing  a  dog's  duty 
at  picking  old  bones  and  dry  crusts,  show  his  gratitude, 
though  only  from  the  teeth  outward,  for  so  great  a  favor. 
As  Mike  turned  to  go,  and  had  his  hand  upon  the  door 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  133 

of  the  passage  that  led  to  the  bar-room,  she  told  him  to  stop, 
and  bade  the  girl  set  some  cold  victuals  on  the  table,  and 
said  that  he  should  have  something  to  eat,  notwithstanding 
he  was  so  saucy. 

"  You  may  keep  your  old  bones,"  looking  at  the  dish  the 
girl  brought  out  of  the  closet,  "  for  some  more  hungry  dog  ; 
I  will  not  gratify  you  by  picking  them  if  I  should  starve.  I 
have  not  been  saucy,  and  I  will  not  be  a  cringing  beggar. 
Good  night,  madam." 

The  door  closed  behind  him,  and  Betty  almost  dropped  the 
platter,  so  astonished  was  she  that  such  a  boy  should  dare 
to  brave  such  a  woman  in  her  own  house  ;  in  the  very  pene 
tralia  of  an  apartment  where  her  husband  dared  not  dis 
pute  her  sway.  But  when  she  looked  at  her  mistress,  she 
was  completely  dumfounded.  She  placed  the  platter  upon 
the  table,  and  stood  with  eyes  and  mouth  wide  enough  open 
to  swallow  one  of  the  shin  bones  of  beef  before  her.  Mrs. 
Decker  was  struck  with  amazement  ;  the  butcher  knife  had 
fallen  from  her  hand  upon  the  table  ;  the  color  came  and 
went  upon  her  face  ;  her  bosom  heaved  like  a  panting  ox  ; 
her  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  door  as  intent  as  Hamlet's  upon 
the  ghost  of  his  father  ;  her  lips  quivered  and  turned  pale 
with  rage  ;  she  seemed  for  a  minute  to  be  in  a  sort  of  trance  ; 
and  if  a  daguerreotype  of  her  and  Betty  could  have  been 
taken  at  that  moment,  it  would  have  made  a  curious  and 
interesting  picture.  How  long  the  terrible  silence — terrible 
because  so  very  unusual — would  have  continued,  is  uncertain, 
but  just  then  there  was  a  crash  behind  her  as  though 
the  side  of  the  house  had  been  suddenly  driven  in,  that  fairly 


134  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

lifted  both  her  and  Betty  from  their  feet  and  brought  them 

• 
to  their  senses  as  suddenly  as  a  shower-bath  does  a  woman 

in  hysterics. 

Mrs.  Decker  came  to  the  right-about-face,  with  an 
expression  in  the  double  sharp  key  ; 

"  What  in  h 11  is  that  ?" 

It  was  John,  just  coming  in  with  a  pile  of  oven-wood,  big 
enough  for  a  horse  load,  which  he  carried  in  a  peculiar  way 
of  his  own,  on  his  shoulder,  by  holding  a  strap  over  the  top. 
Just  as  he  reached  the  open  door  of  the  kitchen,  two  or 
three  big  cats  that  had  walked  into  mischief  in  the  closet, 
left  open  by  Betty,  when  she  went  for  the  platter  of  bones, 
made  a  dive  for  the  door,  entangling  John's  over-loaded 
legs,  and  pitching  him  headlong  under  the  long  kitchen 
table,  while  his  pile  of  wood,  unloaded  with  a  strong  pro 
jectile  force,  went  endwise  over  the  table  among  the  dishes, 
and  out  of  the  window,  or  into  the  old  clock-case,  knocking 
over  the  clothes-horse  and  chairs,  and  rattling  against  the 
pine  board  partition,  as  though  forty  horses  had  plied  their 
heels  at  once,  to  beat  a  grand  tattoo.  It  was  no  wonder 
that  madam,  in  the  excitement  of  the  moment  exclaimed, 

"  What  in  h 11  is  that  ?  Earthquakes  and  furies  !  Is 

the  house  coming  down  upon  my  head  ?  Decker  !" 

She  had  no  need  to  call  so  loud  for  that  personage,  for 
the  noise  had  reached  the  bar-room  in  redoubled  echoes,  and 
the  crowd  came  pouring  into  the  kitchen,  with  about  the 
same  kind  of  prompting  that  gathers  a  crowd  around  two 
street  loafers,  trying  to  blacken  each  other's  worthless  eyes. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  135 

Curiosity  moves  the  world,  just  as  it  did  the  bar-room 
loungers,  "  to  see  what  the  muss  was." 

"  Who  did  it  ?"  said  Decker,  as  he  looked  upon  the  wreck 
around  him,  "Who  did  it  ?" 

"  The  cats,"  said  a  faint  voice,  from  some  invisible  mouth 
under  the  table. 

The  idea  was  so  ridiculous,  that  Decker  burst  into  a  roar 
of  laughter,  in  which  he  was  joined  by  a  strong  chorus. 

"  Cats  have  been  getting  oven-wood  for  the  old  woman, 
and  have  dropt  it  on  the  table,  ha,  ha,  ha  !  I  guess  they 
were  frightened  at  Betty's  platter,  and  threw  down  their 
load  in  a  hurry,  for  fear  they  might  have  to  pick  the  bones, 
ha,  ha,  ha  !'' 

This  was  a  bold  speech,  but  it  was  not  that  which  offended 
the  goddess  of  the  kitchen  ;  it  was  another  word.  He  had 
called  her  "  the  old  woman." 

What  woman  with  a  red  ribbon  in  her  cap,  would  stand 
that  ?  Not  Mehetabel  Decker. 

She  had  looked  under  the  table  where  "  the  cats  "  had 
come  from,  and  comprehended  the  whole  thing  in  a  moment, 
for  she  had  come  well-nigh  making  the  same  kind  of  an 
entry  into  the  kitchen  that  very  day,  through  the  same 
cause  ;  so,  instead  of  venting  her  spite  upon  poor  John, 
she  was  rather  inclined  to  commiserate  his  misfortune,  but 
as  she  must  let  out  upon  somebody,  she  did  so  upon  Decker 
and  his  bar-room  company.  She  ordered  them  all  out  of 
the  kitchen  in  double  quick  time,  and  as  they  did  not  move 
quite  fast  enough  to  suit  her,  she  began  to  apply  the  sticks 


136  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

of  oven-wood  so  vigorously  that  she  soon  saw  the  door 
close  behind  those  who  would  dare  to  call  her  "  old  woman," 
or  laugh  at  her  trouble  in  the  oven-wood  line. 

When  John  crawled  out,  rubbing  his  bruised  shins,  and 
scratched  nose,  and  told  her  how  it  happened,  she  fairly 
shouted  with  merriment  at  the  ludicrous,  though  unfortu 
nate  mishap.  Instead  of  setting  her  in  a  boiling  rage,  as 
John  and  Betty  both  expected,  it  operated  quite  the  contra 
ry  ;  and  they  both  thought  that  they  had  not  seen  her  in 
such  good  humor  for  a  month. 

After  gathering  up  the  scattered  shot,  and  the  dead 
game,  and  setting  things  to  rights,  she  sat  down  and  made 
John  tell  the  whole  story  over,  and  even  act  it  out  in  part 
that  she  might  laugh  again,  to  think  how  suddenly  he  must 
have  come  in,  and  what  a  scattering  of  his  load,  and  fright 
to  her  and  Betty.  "  I  was  frightened,  that  is  a  fact,"  said 
Mrs.  Decker. 

"  And  so  was  I,"  said  Betty,  "  I  thought  the  whole  house 
was  coming  down." 

"  Faith,  I  expected  it  would,  upon  my  poor  head,  as  soon 
as  I  poked  it  out  from  under  the  table.  I  will  murder  them 
cats  to-morrow." 

How  it  does  ease  one's  mind  to  have  some  object  to 
wreak  our  revenge  upon. 

However,  the  lady  had  no  idea  of  having  all  her  cats 
destroyed  to  satisfy  that  feeling  in  John's  mind,  but  she 
compromised  the  matter  by  allowing  him  to  kill  one  of  them, 
"  if  he  would  be  sure  to  do  it  good,  and  not  half  kill  her,  and 
have  her  coming  to  life  after  a  week."  This  of  course  he 


GREEN-MOUXTAIN     GIRLS.  137 

promised,  and  all  was  calm,  and  pleasant,  in  the  kitchen,  as 
the  hour  after  a  storm  has  passed  away.  It  was  lucky  that 
things  had  taken  such  a  turn,  for  just  then  a  messenger 
from  the  bar-room,  opened  the  door  carefully,  on  a  crack, 
and  inquired  if  supper  could  be  had  for  two  hungry  travel 
lers.  Decker  had  not  ventured  to  trust  himself,  where  the 
oven-wood  flew  about  so  freely,  and  had  hired  a  fellow, 
willing  to  go  upon  the  forlorn  hope,  for  a  drink  of  "  white 
eye."  He  took  good  care,  however,  to  keep  his  head  out  of 
range  of  any  flying  billet,  but  he  soon  found  by  the  tone  of 
madam's  voice,  that  the  storm  was  over. 

"  She  inquired,  "  who  is  there  ? — come  in  and  tell  me  what 
you  want.  Now,  who  is  it  that  wants  supper  ?" 

"  I  believe  ma'am,  they  call  him  Dr.  Field  ;  and  he  says, 
'  tell  Mrs.  Decker  we  are  very  hungry,  and  want  the  best  she 
has  in  the  house,  and  plenty  of  it.' " 

"  Tell  him  he  shall  have  it,  in  less  than  no  time.  Betty, 
the  tea-kettle.  We  must  have  one  of  the  fattest  of  those 
pullets,  stewed  with  gravy,  and  some  potatoes  roasted — let 
us  have  them  right  in — I  know  what  will  suit  the  doctor. 
Get  one  of  those  best  mince  pies,  wheat  crust,  top  and 
bottom,  and  warm  it.  Give  Jim  a  piece  of  bread  and 
butter,  I  know  he  is  hungry,  boys  always  are  ;  we'll  charge 
it  in  the  doctor's  bill.  There,  Jim,  go  back  and  tell  him 
that  you  saw  the  supper  under  way.  John,  go  and  see  if 
the  doctor  wants  a  fire  in  his  room.  I  do  wonder  if  he  did 
send  that  boy  here.  If  I  had  thought  so,  he  should  have 
had  his  supper  in  spite  of  his  saucy  tongue.  Who  can  the 
other  gentleman  be,  I  wonder?" 


138  GREEN-MOUXTAIN     GIRLS. 

That  she  will  find  out  in  due  time,  and  also,  whether 
Mike  has  told  the  truth,  about  being  sent  there  by  Dr. 
Field. 

The  first  thing  after  the  doctor's  arrival,  was  to  see  that 
his  horse  was  got  into  a  warm  stable,  and  the  sweat  rubbed 
off,  and  then  covered  with  a  blanket,  for  he  had  ridden  hard, 
and  like  all  good  horse  masters,  who  put  their  animals  to  the 
test  of  strength,  or  speed,  he  never  neglected  so  good  a 
friend.  This  duty  performed,  he  came  in  the  bar-room,  and 
the  first  word  was  : 

"I  say,  Decker,  have  you  seen  anything  of  a  boy  inquir 
ing  after  me,  or  that  said  I  sent  him  here  ?  He  was  rather 
shabbily  dressed,  and  I  don't  know  that  you  would  notice 
him,  but  I  told  him  to  tell  you  I  sent  him,  and  for  you  to 
give  him  something  to  eat." 

"  So  I  would,  but  the  commissariat  department  was  in  a 
state  of what  shall  I  call  it  ?" 

"  Oven-wood  disappointment  ;"  suggested  a  gentleman 
with  a  red  nose. 

"  Ha  !  ha  !  ha  !  that's  it.  The  Lord  have  mercy  upon 
all  husbands  and  hired  men,  if  the  oven-wood  fails  to  come 
up  to  time.  But  I  think  that  John  was  a  little  ahead  of 
the  old  gentleman  of  the  scythe  and  hour-glass,  to-night, 
when  he  made  his  grand  entree  into  the  kitchen,  ha, 
ha,  ha  !" 

"  You  have  your  fun  all  to  yourself,"  said  the  doctor, 
"but  my  boy  has  been  here  then,  and  has  had  no  supper. 
No.  Very  well.  How  is  the  weather  now  in  the  kitchen  ? 
Can  I  get  anything  to  eat  ?" 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  139 

"  Oh  Lord  yes,  as  soon  as  your  name  is  announced, 
there  will  be  a  change  of  wind  into  the  fair  weather 
quarter  iustanter." 

"  Then  send  in  word  that,  two  hungry  travellers  want 
the  best  supper  that  she  can  get  in  the  shortest  time."  • 

"Two  !  why,  is  anybody  with  you  ?" 

"  Didn't  you  tell  me  that  my  boy  was  here,  and  that  he 
had  not  had  any  supper  ?" 

"  Oh  yes,  true,  I  had  forgotten  him.  Where  is  he  ?  Oh 
there  he  is,  fast  asleep  on  that  bench.  What  a  happy  fac 
ulty  to  be  able  to  lay  down  and  go  to  sleep,  in  spite  of 
hunger." 

"  Yery  well,  give  me  a  light,  and  my  saddle-bags  ;  I 
want  to  go  to  my  room,  before  supper." 

"  Well,  doctor,  take  a  little  something  first — what  shall 
it  be  ?" 

"  Not  a  drop,  Decker  ;  I  have  taken  my  last  drink  of 
whisky."  , 

"  Well  then,  you  know  I  have  the  best  cogniac  and  old 
Jamaica,  for  you  know  where  I  got  it.  What  shall  it 
be?" 

"  Not  one  drop  of  anything  that  has  the  name  of  spirit- 
ous  liquor  shall  ever  enter  my  lips  again." 

"  The  devil !  Is  the  world  going  crazy  ?  You  are  the 
second  customer  of  the  sort  I  have  had  to-night.  That 
boy  " 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it.  It  is  through  that  boy's  influence 
that  I  have  come  to  my  present  resolution.  Then  you 
could  not  coax  him  to  drink  ?" 


140  GREEN- MOUNT  A  IN      GIRLS. 

"  Not  a  drop,  not  even  cider." 

"  Nor  me  either.  And  I  hope  that  you  will  shortly  have 
none  but  just  such  customers." 

"  Why,  doctor,  do  you  want  to  ruin  me  ?" 

"  No,  nor  do  I  want  you  to  ruin  others.  Look  a.  ound 
you,  Decker  ;  here  are  twenty  of  your  neighbors,  you  are 
constantly  fitting  for  bad  husbands,  bad  fathers,  bad  sons 
to  aged  widowed  mothers,  and  bad  neighbors,  and,  worst  of 
all,  bad  to  themselves.  Decker,  yours  is  an  accursed  trade, 
and  sooner  or  later,  I  hope  you  will  be  convinced  of  it  as  I 
have  been,  and  quit  it  for  ever." 

"  You  must  think  I  am  a  fool,  to  starve  myself,  or  take 
the  bread  out  of  my  own  children's  mouths." 

"  What  else  are  you  doing  to  others  ?  I  see  more  than 
one  present  here  now,  who  has  pawned  house  and  home, 
clothes,  bed  and  bread,  of  himself,  and  wife,  and  children,  at 
your  bar." 

"  There,  there,  doctor,  take  your  light  and  go  on,  I  am 
tired  of  hearing  such  nonsense." 

"  Nonsense  I"  said  one  of  those  to  whom  the  doctor  had 
alluded.  "  It  is  God's  holy  truth.  I  know  it  ;  I  feel  it  as 
I  never  felt  it  before.  I  say,  doctor,  I  want  to  see  you  in 
the  morning — I  am  not  fit  to  promise  to-night — but  if  you 
will  come  over  to  my  house  in  the  morning,  I  will  promise 
before  my  wife  and  daughter — I  have  got  a  pretty  daugh 
ter,  and  a  good  girl  she  is  too,  for  she  often  says,  '  father 
do  quit  drinking/  and  to-morrow  morning  I  will  promise, 
and  I  will  keep  it  too.  Will  you  come,  doctor  ?" 

"  I  will." 


C 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  141 

"  Give  me  your  hand.  Good  night.  Good  bye,  Decker, 
I  have  taken  ray  last  drink  with  you." 

"  Well,  if  this  world  is  not  turning  wrong  side  out,  then 
J  don't  know  whisky  from  old  Santa  Cruz." 

"  Come,  Michael,"  said  the  doctor,  "  wake  up,"  but  Mike 
as  not  asleep  ;  he  had  been  drinking  in -every  word  of  the 
conversation,  with  most  intense  feelings  of  delight.  x  He 
traced  his  own  conversion  to  the  influence  of  Alida — blessed 
female  influence — and  he  felt  proud  to  hear  Dr.  Field  say, 
that  it  was  owing  to  the  influence  of  "  that  boy,"  that  he 
had  come  to  his  present  determination  ;.  and  now  he  had 
witnessed  the  effect  upon  one  as  much  in  need  of  reforma 
tion  as  ever  that  poor  boy  had  been  himself.  He  mentally 
said,  "  God  bless  you,  sweet  angel,  for  the  good  you  are 
doing."  , 

He  needed  no  second  call  to  follow  the  doctor  to  his 
room. 


142  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A  short  chapter,  but  an  interesting  one — Developments  of  human  Jature — Meta 
morphosis  of  a  ragged  boy  to  a  young  gentleman — Michael  in  anew  suit,  suits 
Mrs.  Decker — The  supper — The  doctor  amused  with  the  oven-wood  story,  and 
her  account  of  "  that  ragged  vagabond,  Mike." — Mrs.  Decker  does  not  recognize 
him — A  lesson  worth  remembering — The  clothes  win,  where  rags  can't  come  in — 
Dr.  Field  and  Michael  talk  of  Alida— Michael  too  excited  to  sleep — Anticipation 
of  "  a  scene  "  to-morrow,  with  Mrs.  Decker. 

As  soon  as  the  door  closed,  Michael  related  the  particu 
lars  of  his  interview  with  Mrs.  Decker,  much  to  the  amuse 
ment  of  the  doctor,  who  was  busy  all  the  time  unpacking 
his  well-filled  saddle-bags. 

"  JS"ow,  Mike,  there  is  soap  and  water,  and  comb  and 
brush  ;  but  first  let  me  clip  your  locks  a  little,  and  then  let 
us  see  how  you  will  look  in  this  new  suit." 

When  all  that  was  accomplished,  a  more  complete  meta 
morphosis  was  scarcely  ever  witnessed.  He  was  really  a 
fine-looking  boy— young  gentleman  he  would  he  called  in 
these  days  of  precociousness.  His  toilet  was  scarcely  com 
pleted,  before  John  came  to  announce  supper  ;  and  when 
the  doctor,  with  a  handsome,  well  dressed,  well  spoken 
youth,  sat  down  to  the  table,  the  landlady  was  as  full  of 
gracious  smiles  as  a  coquette  with  her  Liver. 

After  a  few  compliments,  and  seeing  that   her  guests' 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  143 

plates  were  loaded  with  everything  on  the  table,  and  alP  the 
possible  questions  and  additions  to  make  "  the  tea  agreea 
ble,"  she  related  the  mishap-  of  John  and  his  oven-wood 
with  such  graphic  minuteness,  that  the  doctor  almost  choked 
himself  with  his  repeated  bursts  of  laughter.  Mike  was 
excessively  amused,  though  he  kept  his  feelings  within 
bounds,  and  only  made  use  of  an  occasional  word,  such  as 
"  thank  you,"  "  not  any  more,"  or  some  common-place  of 
that  sort,  until  the  lady  became  quite  fascinated  with  him, 
"  he  was  such  a  well-bred  boy." 

"  By  the  bye,  doctor,  I  had  another  case  here,  this  even 
ing,  that  almost  put  me  out  of  patience,  which  I  shall 
charge  to  your  account." 

"  To  mine  ?  why  what  have  I  done,  to  put  you  out  of 
temper  ?  I  thought  you  were  always  in  the  finest  humor  of 
any  woman  in  the  world." 

"  Well  so  I  am,  only  when  I  am  provoked.  And  then 
Decker  is  so  stupid,  you  know,  he  can't  see  beyond  his  nose 
to  look  into  the  character  of  anybody,  and  so  he  is  all  the 
time  getting  imposed  upon.  But  they  can't  fool  me." 

"  Why,  Mrs.  Decker,  has  anybody  been  trying  to  fool 
you  ?  I  should  think  they  would  find  that  a  hard  job.  You 
are  pretty  keen  to  see  things." 

"  Yes,  if  ever  I  see  a  face  once,  I  always  know  it  again." 

Mike  hung  his  head,  and  was  excessively  busy  for  a  min 
ute  or  two,  wiping  his  mouth,  and  then  sipping  his  tea. 
He  thought  his  time  had  come.  Not  yet. 

"  But  you  have  not  told  me  what  was  the  matter,  or  how 
I  am  concerned  in  it." 


144  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

"  Well  I  was  going  to  tell  you,  but  you  men  are  such 
talkers,  you  are  always  interrupting.  You  see,  after  we 
had  all  done  supper,  what  does  Decker  do,  but  send  in  one 
of  the  raggedest  vagabonds  of  a  boy — a  saucy,  impudent 
pup — to  get  his  supper  ;  and  the  fellow  with  as  much 
assurance  as  though  ho  had  been  a  gentleman,  walked  in 
and  ordered  the  best  in  the  house." 

The  smiles  began  to  play  around  the  doctor's  mouth,  and 
spread  over  his  face  so  fast,  that  he  had  to  get  into  a  fit 
of  coughing  to  hide  appearances.  The  picture  she  gave  of 
Mike,  reassured  him  in  his  incognito,  and  made  him  feel  easy 
enough  to  enjoy  the  joke. 

"  Well  you  see,  I  was  busy,  but  I  turned  round,  and 
looked  my  gentleman  full  in  the  face,  and  said  very  mildly, 
'  Well,  young  man,  you  wish  for  some  supper,  do  you  ?'  '  Oh 
yes  !'  'And  who  sent  you  here  to  get  your  supper?'  'Mr. 
Decker.'  '  And  did  he  get  the  pay  for  it  ?'  '  No  ma'am.' 
'  And  have  you  got  any  money  to  pay  for  it  ?'  '  No  ma'am.' 
'  Well  then,  how  do  you  expect  to  get  it  without  pay  ?" 

"  And  what,"  said  Doctor  Field,  "  did  the  young  scamp 
say  ?" 

"  Say,  why,  he  said  that  you  would  pay  for  it." 

"  Me  !  Well,  that  was  cool." 

"  So  I  told  him,  and  marched  him  out  of  the  kitchen, 
pretty  quick.  Didn't  I  serve  him  right,  to  come  to  me  with 
such  a  lie  on  his  tongue  ?  Do  take  another  cup  of  tea, 
doctor,  and  the  young  gentleman — you  must  not  be  bashful, 
young  man — do  take  another  cup." 

"Nothing  more,  I  thank  you;"   said  Michael,  "I  had 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  145 

rather  be  a  little  bashful,  than  impudent,  as  you  say  that 
fellow  was,  this  evening.  Do  you  know  what  became  of 
him,  or  who  he  was,  Mrs.  Decker  ?" 

"  He  told  me  some  name,  but  Lord  knows  whether  it  was 
his  own  or  not.  I  shouldn't  wonder,  if  he  was  lounging 
about  the  bar-room,  now." 

"  Quite  likely,  quite  likely.  I  think  I  saw  such  a  fellow 
as  you  describe,  asleep  on  a  bench,  when  I  first  came  in," 
said  the  doctor,  very  truly  too.  "  Was  he  about  the  size  of 
this  lad  ?" 

"  Oh  no,  not  near  as  large." 

"  And  did  not  look  like  him  ?" 

"  Look  like  him  ?  no  more  than  I  do.  Why,  this  is  a 
remarkable  fine-looking  boy,  and  that  was  about  as  ugly  a 
villain,  as  I  ever  saw." 

How  true  it  is,  that  man  owes  more  to  his  tailor  for  his 
personal  appearance,  than  nature.  A  few  locks  trimmed 
off ;  a  clean  face  ;  a  white  shirt  collar  ;  a  good,  though 
plain  suit  of  clothes,  that  fitted  as  though  they  were  made 
for  him  ;  had  wrought  such  a  change  in  Mike's  appearance, 
that  a  woman  who  had  seen  him  face  to  face,  an  hour  before, 
did  not  know  him.  How  he  did  wish  he  could  appear 
before  Alida,  to  see  whether  she  would  recognize  him,  in  his 
metamorphosed  appearance.  The  time  may  come,  he 
thought,  in  some  far-off  day,  when  I  will  have  an  opportu 
nity  to  put  her  to  that  test." 

Mike  wondered  that  Mrs.  Decker  did  not  know  him. 
Yet  it  never  occurred  to  him,  that  if  he  had  met  her  in 
an  unexpected  place,  he  might  have  been  as  much  at  a  loss 


4.46  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

to  satisfy  himself,  that  she  was  the  same  woman,  that 
he  had  seen  an  hour  before.  There,  she  was  all  clouds  and 
tornadoes,  now  all  sunshine  and  gentle  breezes.  True,  she 
had  on  the  same  cap  with  the  red  ribbons,  but  if  that  had 
been  changed,  there  would  have  been  little  else  to  remem 
ber  her  by,  for  her  face,  and  voice,  bore  no  resemblance  to 
that  he  had  seen  and  heard  in  the  kitchen.  The  bloody 
apron,  and  bloody  arms,  had  disappeared,  and  from  her  con 
versation,  a  stranger  would  have  thought,  that  butter  would 
not  melt  in  her  mouth.  She  was  a  most  decidedly  amiable 
woman.  What  a  pity  the  whole  virago  family,  could  not  be 
induced  to  remain  in  the  same  mood  that  she  was  now 
in  ;  it  would  add  greatly  to  their  own  happiness,  and  to  the 
domestic  comfort  of  many  a  household. 

The  doctor  now  said,  "  he  would  retire,"  for  he  presumed, 
that  his  young  friend  was  sleepy,  and  as  for  himself,  he  had 
a  letter  of  importance  to -write,  for  the  boy  to  take  with 
him,  and  he  must  start  early,  "  but  we  shall  want  our 
breakfast  first,  if  you  can  give  it  to  us,  Mrs.  Decker." 

"  Give  it  to  you,  doctor  !  why  you  know  very  well,  that 
you  can  have  it  at  any  hour  you  wish  ;  what  time  do 
you  say  ?" 

"  Six  o'clock  will  do  very  well." 

"  Enough  said,  you  shall  have  it  ;  what  shall  it  be, 
doctor  ?" 

"  If  you  can  duplicate  the  supper,  I  think  you  can  be 
assured,  by  the  way  we  have  eaten,  that  we  shall  be 
satisfied." 

"  I  don't  understand  what  you  mean  by  duplicate — you 


GREEN-MOON TAIN     GIRLS.  147 

are  always  using  such  hard  words,  doctor — but  if  it  is  to 
give  you  a  breakfast  just  like  the  supper,  you  shall  have  it 
to  a  T." 

"  Very  well  ;  that  is  it  exactly.  Good  night,  and 
pleasant  dreams  to  you,  my  worthy  hostess." 

"  Ah  doctor,  you  never  will  outgrow  your  gallantry  ; 
you  are  a  great  flatterer.  Good  night.  Will  the  young 
gentleman  sleep  in  the  little  bed  in  your  room  ?  Very 
well.  Shall  I  send  John  to  wake  you  at  half-past  five  T' 

"  Never  mind  that  ;  I  believe  my  young  friend  here  is  a 
perfect  morning  lark." 

"  I  thought  perhaps  he  was  so  tired  that  he  would  sleep 
in  the  morning  ;  I  know  we  always  have  to  wake  you." 

"  He  was  very  tired  and  hungry  when  he  first  arrived, 
but  you  know  that  no  one  can  remain  so  long,  under  your 
hospitable  roof,  Mrs.  Decker." 

"  Oh,  doctor  !  but  I  know  you." 

"  Not  half  so  well  as  I  do  you,"  said  the  doctor  to  Mike, 
as  the  door  closed  behind  them.  "  Here  is  a  lesson,  my 
lad,  worthy  of  your  careful  remembrance  as  long  as  you 
live." 

"  I  have  studied  it  well  ;  and  particularly  the  point 
embodied  in  your  sarcastic  remark,  that  no  one  could 
remain  hungry  under  her  hospitable  roof.  I  have  no  doubt 
there  is  just  as  much  of  the  genuine  spirit  of  hospitality,  in 
the  dry  shingles  of  the  roof  that  shelters  her,  as  there  is  in 
the  heart  that  beats  in  her  bosom.  She  has  no  feeling  but 
a  mean  mercenary  one,  that  looks  upon  every  customer 
with  an  eye  of  inquiry,  as  to  how  much  profit  she  will  be 


148  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

able  to  make  out  of  him  while  he  remains  in  the  house.  I 
do  not  yet  understand  how  a  woman  can  possess  such  a 
double  nature,  as  that  which  I  saw  exhibited  towards  the 
poor,  ragged,  hungry,  friendless  boy  in  the  kitchen,  and 
the  well-dressed  protege  of  Dr.  Field,  in  the  dining-room." 

"  You  will  find  the  same  thing  all  your  life,  and  it  is  for 
that  reason  what  you  have  witnessed  to-night  will  be  of 
advantage  to  you  in  future.  Bear  it  always  in  mind,  that 
vulgar  persons  will  fawn  around  good  clothes,  and  spurn 
the  wearer  if  clothed  in  a  ragged  suit,  unless  he  has  money, 
and  then  no  matter  what  he  wears,  or  says,  or  does  ;  toa 
dies  will  applaud." 

"  I  wonder  she  did  not  know  me  again." 

"  I  do  not.  At  first  she  looked  upon  you  with  contempt, 
and  then  your  calm,  respectful  demeanor  enraged  her  so, 
that  she  did  not  know  whether  you  were  white  or  black. 
At  supper  she  saw  you  enter  as  the  friend  of  one  she 
always  looks  at  through  a  wreath  of  smiles — smiles  intended 
to  win  his  money,  for  that  is  her  god — and  she  saw  nothing 
but  the  color  of  the  silver  she  was  going  to  get  for  our 
accommodation.  She  never  thought  of  your  being  the  same 
boy  that  was  in  the  kitchen.  Michael,  the  world  is  easily 
deceived  Mrs.  Decker  is  more  so  in  me,  than  she  is  in 
you.  I  find  it  to  my  interest  to  keep  up  the  delusion.  You 
see,  by  her  conversation,  that  she  is  an  ignorant  woman,  and 
she  is  more  vain  than  ignorant,  or  else  she  would  despise 
my  flattery.  What  if  any  one  should  flatter  your  best 
friend,  the  gentle  Alida,  iti  the  same  way  ;  she  would  only 
feel  for  them  contempt." 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  149 

"  No,  sir  she  would  pity  them,  and  feel  anxious  to  instruct 
them,  to  cure  them  of  their  folly  and  weakness  of  character. 
What  should  I  have  been  now,  if  she  had  despised,  instead 
of  pitied  me  ?  A  poor  miserable  drunken  vagabond." 

"You  are  right.  But  you  must  go  to  bed,  and  I  must 
write  a  letter  to  my  brother  for  you  to  take  with  you.  In 
a  few  hours  we  shall  part,  and  I  may  never  see  you  again, 
but  I  long  to  hear  of  your  good  conduct,  and  then  I  shall 
be  sure  of  your  prosperity  and  happiness." 

"  Before  I  forget  it,  doctor,  I  beg  you  again  to  go  and 
see  Alida,  and  tell  her  that  you  will  be  a  friend  to  her,  and 
ask  her  to  give  you  her  confidence  and  promise  her  yonr 
advice.  Tell  her  I  begged  you  as  a  last  favor  to  do  so." 

"  God  bless  you,  boy,  for  you  evince  a  grateful  heart.  I 
have  been  to  see  her.  I  was  standing  in  your  tracks  this 
morning  by  that  rock  in  two  minutes  after  you  left.  There 
is  a  perfect  understanding  between  us." 

Michael  was  almost  choked  with  emotion.  He  could  not 
answer,  and  hastened  to  hide  the  tears  that  forced  them 
selves  forward,  in  the  folds  of  his  pillow.  How  changed  were 
his  own  prospects  of  life  within  a  few  days.  He  remembered 
the  lessons  of  Alida,  and  poured  out  his  soul  in  silent  thank 
fulness  to  God  for  all  the  good  things  falling  in  his  cup, 
lately  so  full  of  gall. 

Long  after  the  doctor  supposed  he  was  dreaming,  he  start 
ed  up  with  a  laugh,  and  said  : 

"  I  have  been  thinking,  doctor,  what  a  scene  there  will  be 
with  our  landlady  when  Decker  tells  her  how  she  has  been 
fooled.  I  don't  know  as  she  will  give  us  any  breakfast." 


150  GREEN- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

"  Never  fear  that.  Decker  will  go  to  bed  so  fuddled,  for 
he  is  in  trouble  to  find  three  persons  who  refuse  to  drink 
rum,  that  he  wont  remember  a  thing  that  happened  this 
evening,  not  even  the  pelting  he  got  with  the  oven-wood. 
She  never  will  discover  the  cheat  until  we  are  gone.  I 
intend  to  leave  the  old  clothes  in  the  room  on  purpose,  and 
that  will  raise  her  curiosity,  and  then  Decker  of  course  will 
tell  all  about  it,  with  any  amount  of  illustrations  ;  for  he 
does  love  to  get  a  rig  upon  his  wife  once  in  a  while.  He 
can  keep  her  down  with  this  incident  for  a  month,  better 
than  he  could  with  a  dozen  quarrels." 

Notwithstanding  the  fatigues  of  the  day,  the  new  life 
dawning  upon  Michael's  horizon,  was  too  exciting  to  allow 
him  to  close  his  eyes  in  sleep  readily,  but  Morpheus  with 
much  wooing  was  won  at  last. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  151 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Michael  early  up — Is  surprised  expressing  his  thoughts  in  verse— A  Vermont 
breakfast — A  morning  visit — Mary  Tharp — Her  prayer  for  her  father — A  holy 
scene — The  pledge — Gratitude — Mary  hugs  Michael — Good  bye — Good  deeds  re 
warded — Franklin  May — The  jouruey  over  the  Green  Mountains — A  happy 
family  meeting — New  friends  for  the  out-cast-boy — A  happy  marriage  in  pros 
pect — Emotions  at  parting — The  fruit  of  woman's  holy  influence. 

To  Michael  the  night  was  not  one  of  much  sleep.  His 
sudden  and  great  change  in  life  occupied  his  mind  with  so 
much  intenseness,  he  slept  but  little,  and  was  up  at  the 
appointed  time,  and  he  washed  and  dressed  himself,  and 
smoothed  his  hair  as  though  he  had  been  accustomed  to  do 
so  all  his  life.  It  is  astonishing  how  soon  a  well-balanced 
mind  will  adopt  improvements  in  language,  actions,  habits, 
when  brought  under  proper  influences.  He  was  liko  one 
we  read  of,  he  was  now  "  clothed,  and  in  his  right  mind." 
He  looked  at  the  doctor's  watch,  and  found  that  he  could 
give  him  half  an  hour  more,  and  this  he  employed  in  writing 
a  farewell  to  Alida.  He  had  lately  often  attempted  to 
express  his  feelings  in  verse,  but  with  so  little  success  that 
he  had  never  ventured  to  show  any  of  the  beatings  of  the 
spirit  within  him,  not  even  to  his  only  confidant,  and  per 
haps  be  would  not  now,  but  he  became  so  absorbed  in  his 
subject  that  he  did  not  observe  that  Doctor  Field  had 


152  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

waked,  and  seeing  Mike  so  engaged  had  risen  upon  one 
elbow  where  he  could  look  directly  down  upon  the  paper 
upon  which  he  was  writing.  Seeing  the  composition  was 
in  verse,  he  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  see  from 
what  author  he  was  quoting,  not  suspecting  that  it  was 
original.  His  surprise  was  not  inconsiderable  when  he 
read  the  following  lines,  which,  however  crude,  evinced  the 
fact  that  a  rude  casket  may  contain  a  valuable  jewel. 
The  doctor  looked  over  and  read  : 

"Farewell  to  Alida,  and  the  cedars  and  pine, 

For  fond  recollection  goes  back  to  thy  home  ; 
And  thy  heart  shall  be  treasured  for  ever  in  mine, 
While  through  the  world  lonely  I'm  destined  to  roam. 

"The  rock  on  the  hill-side  where  I  planted  that  vine, 

And  the  last  parting  farewell  beneath  that  dear  shade, 
Shall  as  long  be  remembered  as  reason  is  mine, 
And  for  thee  my  affection  shall  not  languish  or  fade. 

"  Farewell,  dear  Alida  " 

and  there  his  pen  stopped — it  would  not  go  on — and  he 
rested  his  head  upon  his  hand  with  his  elbow  on  the  table, 
lost  in  a  waking  dream,  for 

"Fond  recollection  goes  back  to  thy  home." 

"Go  on,"  said  the  doctor,  "it  is  first  rate,  and  does 
honor  to  your  head  and  heart." 

Poor  Michael — he  would  not  have  started  more  suddenly, 
or  felt  more  guilty,  if  he  had  been  caught  in  a  crime.  He 
dropped  the  pen  and  snatched  the  paper  from  the  table,  as 
if  it  contained  the  evidence  of  diabolical  treason.  Go  on  ! 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  153 

You  might  as  well  ask  the  eagle  to  go  on  after  the  hunter's 
shot  had  crippled  both  wings,  or  the  goat  to  climb  the 
mountain  side  after  his  legs  were  bound  ift.the  thongs  of  the 
butcher.  That  word,  Go  on  !  had  thrown)  him  back,  down, 
down,  from  Olympus's  height  to  a  sublunary  sphere.  The 
spell  was  broken  ;  he  could  not  have  finished  the  line  to 
save  his  life.  It  was  with  great  difficulty  that  the  doctor 
could  persuade  him  to  let  him  see  the  composition  again, 
and  still  more  difficult  to  get  his  consent  for  him  to  give  it 
to  Alida.  He  finally  consented,  upon  condition  that  he 
should  not  tell  her  where  it  came  from.  This  the  doctor 
readily  promised,  well  knowing  that  she  would  make  that 
discovery  at  the  first  glance. 

Now  there  was  a  gentle  tap  at  the  door,  and  the  voice 
of  Betty  came  through  the  key-hole  to  say  that  breakfast 
was  ready.  Mrs.  Decker  had  told  her  what  a  "  nice  young 
man  "  came  with  Dr.  Field,  and  she  had  begged  the  privi 
lege  of  calling  them  to  breakfast,  being  at  that  very  sus 
ceptible  age  when  the  sight  of  a  nice  young  man  is  extreme 
ly  gratifying. 

"  I  declare,"  said  she  to  herself,  after  they  had  passed  her 
In  the  hall,  "  if  he  don't  look  as  though,  he  might  be  twin 
brother  to  that  boy,  that  wouldn't  pick  them  old  bones,  last 
night,  in  the  kitchen." 

Young  eyes  are  sharper  than  old  ones,  for  Mrs.  Decker, 
although  she  sat  full  before  him,  and  talked  as  fast  as  a 
saw-mill,  all  the  time  they  were  eating,  never  had  a  suspi 
cion  equal  to  that  of  Betty. 

The  substantial  character  of  an  old  times  Vermont  break - 
1* 


154  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

fast,  may  be  judged,  when  I  name  a  few  of  the  principal 
dishes  set  before  these  two  travellers.  First,  there  was  the 
large  platter  containing  the  fat  pullet,  done  up  in  brown 
gravy  ;  then,  there  was  another  dish  of  ham  and  eggs  ; 
a  piece  of  cold  veal  ;  roast  potatoes,  and  fried  potatoes  ; 
apple-sauce,  and  pickles  ;  cold  light  bread,  and  hot  light 
biscuit  ;  mince  pie,  apple  pie,  and  dough-nuts.  Of  the  lat 
ter,  Mrs.  Decker  insisted  that  "  the  young  gentleman  should 
fill  his  pockets,  as  he  was  going  to  travel,  and  she  knew  that 
they  would  taste  good  before  night." 

The  doctor  had  provided  Mike  with  a  working  suit,  but 
had  forgotten,  or  did  not  think  how  he  was  to  carry  it. 
This  difficulty  was  however  soon  got  over,  for  he  took  a  large 
silk  handkerchief  from  his  pocket,  and  tied  the  articles  in  a 
bundle,  which  he  was  to  swing  on  a  stick  across  his 
shoulder. 

Just  as  they  were  about  to  bid  a  mutual  good-bye,  Mike 
reminded  him  of  the  promise  he  made  to  the  bar-room 
lounger  last  evening,  and  then  the  good-bye  was  changed  to 
"  God  bless  you,  boy,  for  reminding  me  of  it.  I  will  go 
right  away,  for  it  may  be  the  means  of  saving  a  fellow 
creature  from  ruin." 

"  If  you  please,  sir,  I  should  like  to  go  with  you." 

"  Come  along,  then;  it  is  right  on  your  way,  and  you  can 
take  your  bundle  along  with  you." 

They  soon  reached  the  door  ;  it  was  a  poor,  old  house,  but 
for  a  drunkard's  home,  it  had  an  air  of  neatness  about  it, 
very  unusual.  There  were  no  old  hats,  nor  rags  in  the  win 
dows,  though  numerous  panes  of  glass  were  patched  with 


GREEN-MOUNTAI N     GIRLS.  155 

paper,  pasted  over  the  holes.  There  was  a  little  yard,  with 
a  poor  old,  fence  in  front,  the  gate  of  which  swung  upon 
hinges  made  of  old  shoe-soles,  and  it  fastened  with  a  button. 
There  was  a  climbing  rose  on  the  front  wall,  just  budding 
into  leaf,  that  served,  when  in  full  foliage,  to  hide  the  broken 
state  of  the  clap-boards.  There  was  but  one  window  in 
front,  but  inside  of  that  were  three  pots  of  house-plants, 
that  gave  the  room  a  most  cheerful  aspect,  and  told  in 
language  plainer  than  words,  for  it  was  the  language  of 
flowers,  that  although  the  husband  and  father  might  be 
debased  by  rum,  it  had  not  destroyed  the  taste  a»d  refine 
ment  of  the  wife  and  daughter. 

Dr.  Field  and  Mike  passed  through  the  gate  and  stood  upon 
the  stone  step  of  the  door,  and  were  just  going  to  give  the 
customary  knock,  when  they  were  arrested  a  moment  by  the 
recognized  voice  of  the  inebriate  of  the  previous  evening, 
who  said,  "  Mary,  daughter,  I  expect  a  gentleman  here 
this  morning  to  see  me  and " 

"  Oh,  not  here,  father,  just  at  breakfast  time.  Who 
is  it  ?" 

"  Dr.  Field,  you  need  not  be  afraid  of  him." 

"  No,  not  afraid,  but  I  wonder  at  his  coming  here.  I 
thought  you  always  went  to  Decker's  to  see  him,  when  you 
had  any  business  with  him.  I  wonder  you  do  not  go  there." 

"  Mary,  with  your  assistance,  I  am  never  going  there 
again." 

"Oh,  husband  !"  said  another  voice. 

"  Father,  father,  are  you  in  earnest  ?  Say  that  blessed 
word  again."  9 


156  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

"  In  serious,  sober  earnest.  I  have  made  up  my  mind, 
and  that  is  what  Dr,  Field  is  coming  here  for,  to  witness  my 
promise  to  you  and  your  mother.  He  has  quit  drinking, 
and  I  believe  I  can.  I  shall  try." 

"  Oh  Samuel  Tharp,  have  I  lived  to  see  this  day  ?" 

"  Tharp— Sam  Tharp,"  whispered  Mike  ?" 

"  Hush,"  said  the  doctor — "  listen." 

"  Father  !  father,  may  heaven  bless  and  strengthen  that 
resolution  !" 

"  Mary,  my  dear  child,  ask  God  for  his  blessing — I  am 
not  tit — your  heart  is  pure." 

"  Will  you  kneel  with  me  ?' 

"  I  will,  penitently." 

There  was  a  little  stir  of  chairs  in  the  room,  during 
which  the  doctor  opened  the  door  gently,  and  he  and  Mike 
entered  and  took  their  places  behind  those  already  kneeling, 
and  listened  and  joined  in  one  of  the  most  holy,  because  the 
most  pure,  simple  outpourings  of  the  hearts'  thanksgiving 
they  had  ever  heard.  It  was  the  eloquence  of  a  grateful 
heart — the  heart  of  an  only  child,  born  to  love  and  be  loved, 
but  one  which  had  been,  through  long  years  of  anguish, 
pining,  hoping,  desponding,  alternately,  over  the  sad  fault 
of  a  father,  who  she  knew  loved  her  most  dearly,  when  his 
intellect  was  not  blunted  by  rum,  which  often  debased  him 
to  the  level  of  a  brute.  Something  told  her  now,  that 
hope  long  deferred,  was  about  to  give  certain  promise  of 
the  accomplishment  of  her  most  ardent  desires.  In  all  the 
eighteen  years  of  her  life,  this  was  the  first  time  that  she 
had  ever  seen  that  father  kneel  before  the^throne  of  heaven. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  15 

Her  words  were  but  few,  but  they  reached  the  heart  of 
every  one  present,  and  tears  flowed  freely.  All  seemed  to 
feel  "it  is  good  to  be  here."  Here,  where  a  daughter  was 
pleading  for  a  father  before  the  highest  tribunal  of  justice 
which  mortals  can  approach. 

Mary  was  the  first  to  discover  that  strangers  were 
present,  and  had  been  listening,  yet  had  bent  the  knee,  and 
united  in  her  prayer,  and  she  blushed  crimson  at  the  thought 
that  her  humble  effort  had  been  witnessed  by  two  strangers, 
whose  dress  indicated  that  they  belonged  to  a  class  in  life 
above  her  sphere.  Then  she  wondered  how  they  had  got 
into  that  little  family  circle,  and  who  they  were.  She 
started  with  an  exclamation  of  surprise  when  she  first  saw 
them,  but  was  allowed  but  for  a  single  moment  to  feel  the 
embarrassment  of  her  position.  The  open,  manly,  striking 
countenance,  and  beaming  intelligent  eye  of  the  doctor,  as 
he  advanced  and  extended  his  hand,  reassured  her,  and 
when  he  said,  "  Dr.  Field,"  she  gave  and  received  a  warm 
pressure  of  the  hand,  for  she  felt  in  a  moment  he  was  a 
friend,  and  it  did  seem  as  if  an  over-ruling  Providence  had 
directed  him  there  just  at  that  juncture,  for  a  blessed 
purpose. 

"  Oh,  doctor,  although  a  stranger,  I  am  so  glad,  so  very 
glad  to  see  you.  My  mother,  Dr.  Field.  Father." 

He  had  still  remained  kneeling,  with  a  handkerchief  to 
his  eyes,  but  as  he  caught  the  name  of  Dr.  Field,  he  arose 
and  grasped  him  by  the  hand,  then  kissed  his  wife  and 
Mary,  and  passed  out  into  the  garden.  His  heart  was  too 
full — he  could  not  speak.  But  fresh  air  and  cold  water, 


158  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

soou  restored  him,  and  he  entered  the  room  again,  as  Mary 
often  said  afterwards,  looking  like  a  new  man.  She  had 
never  seen  him  look  so  before.  Her  mother  had,  and  it 
reminded  her  of  "  Auld  Lang  Syne."  He  greeted  them 
with  words  of  kindness.  Mary  said  the  very  tone  of  his 
voice  was  changed.  He  turned  to  where  Michael  was 
standing,  almost  unobserved  by  the  others,  who  had  been  so 
deeply  absorbed  in  their  own  thoughts  and  words,  while  he 
kept  aloof. 

"  And  who  is  this  lad,"  said  he,  "  a  friend  of  yours, 
doctor  ?" 

"  This  is  the  poor  boy  that  Decker  was  so  astonished  at, 
because  he  could  not  persuade  him  to  drink  last  night.  He 
has  been  disguising  himself  with  a  suit  of  new  clothes." 

"  Then,  my  young  friend,  I  want  to  shake  you  by  the 
hand,  and  thank  you  for  what  you  have  done  for  me  ;  all 
that  you  have  witnessed,  and  more  that  you  shall  witness, 
is  owing  to  you." 

"  To  me  !" 

"  Yes,  to  you.  I  saw  you,  when  cold,  tired,  hungry, 
resist  all  the  arts  of  a  rumseller's  temptations  to  induce  you 
to  drink,  and  saw  his  surprise  that  one  who  looked  so  much 
like  one  of  us,  should  refuse  ;  and  I  said  to  myself,  what  a 
triumph  for  that  poor  boy  ;  and  here  am  I,  a  man  ;  why 
shall  I  not  be  as  much  of  a  one  as  this  boy  ?  And  so  I  sat 
thinking  of  it  until  you,  doctor,  whom  I  had  often  seen 
taking  a  drink,  came  in  ;  you,  too,  refused,  and  said  you 
never  would  drink  again,  and  then  my  mind  was  made  up. 
I  told  yon  if  you  would  come  here  this  morning,  and  give 


GR E EN -MOUNT AI N      GIRLS.  159 

me  your  countenance  in  my  undertaking,  I  would  promise 
in  presence  of  my  wife  and  Mary,  never  to  drink  another 
drop  of  liquor  as  long  as  I  live,  and  now  I  am  going  to  do 
it.  Give  me  your  hand,  and  yours,  what  is  your  name  ?" 

"  Michael." 

"  Yery  well  ;  now  wife  and  Mary — Oh,  doctor,  aint  she 
a  blessed  angel  of  a  girl  ?" 

"  She  is,  indeed  I" 

And  he  took  all  their  hands  in  his,  and  looked  up,  and  said  : 

"Now  as  I  hope  for  thy  blessing,  and  for  thy  aid,  and  as 
I  hope  for  the  continued  love  and  friendship  of  all  that  own 
these  hands,  I  do  most  solemnly  declare  that  I  will  for  ever 
hereafter  abstain  from  the  foolish  practice  I  have  so  long 
been  guilty  of,  and  never  more  drink  a  drop  of  intoxicating 
liquor." 

"  Amen,"  said  Dr.  Field,  and  "  amen,"  repeated  each  one. 

"  Father,  my  dear  father,  Oh  how  I  will  pray  for  strength 
for  you  to  resist  all  temptation,  and  then  how  we  shall  love 
you." 

And  then  she  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck,  and  he 
kissed  her  again  and  again,  and  said  : 

"  Mary,  you  know  when  I  give  my  word  I  keep  it.  You 
shall  never  more  weep  again  over  a  drunken  father." 

"  Then  we  shall  be  so  happy." 

The  doctor  was  ready  now  to  go,  but  Michael  had  a  word 
to  say  first. 

"  I  heard  you  say  that  your  name  was  Tharp.  Had  you 
a  brother  Zep,  who  used  to  live  up  near  the  line,  in  Deacon 
Brandon's  neighborhood  ?" 


160  GREEN-MOUNTAIN    ^GIRLS. 

"  And  who  was  bitten  to  death  by  the  worm  of  his  distil 
lery — yes  I  had  such  a  brother  ;  poor  Zep  ;  and  I  was  in  a 
fair  way  to  die  just  as  he  did." 

"  No,  not  just  so."  Michael  and  Dr.  Field  exchanged 
significant  glances. 

"  Oh,"  said  Mary,  "  did  you  know  my  aunt,  and  my  poor 
unfortunate  cousin.  How  are  they  doing  now  ?" 

"  They  are  in  health,  but  very  poor  and  live  poor." 

"  Oh,  father,  I  wish  you  would  let  me  go  and  see  aunt,  and 
invite  her  to  come  and  live  with  us  ;  although  we  have  but 
little,  mother  and  I  will  share  it  with  them." 

"  So  you  shall.  But  we  are  not  going  to  be  so  poor  now  ; 
1  have  a  good  trade,  and  with  industry  can  more  than  sup 
port  you  all,  and  we  still  have  our  house  left  out  of  the  gen 
eral  wreck  of  my  property." 

"  There  is  another  thing  I  want  to  go  up  there  for  ;  I 
want  to  see  that  good  boy  that  aunt  wrote  to  us  about  ; 
that  Mike  Granly,  who  used  to  come  and  cut  wood  for 
them  all  that  winter  after  uncle  died.  Oh  I  could  hug  him 
to  my  heart  this  minute." 

"  Then  do  it,"  said  Dr.  Field,  with  a  merry  twinkle  of  his 
laughing  eye,  as  he  caught  the  retreating  Michael,  and  turn 
ed  him  around  full  in  her  face. 

"  Not  him.  Oh,  doctor,  don't  make  fun  of  me.  I  was  in 
earnest." 

"  And  so  am  I.  This  is  indeed  that  same  good  boy. 
Michael  don't  hang  your  head.  Mary  don't  blush.  I  re 
joice  to  see  a  girl  that  has  a  heart.  There,  that  is  what  I 
like." 


GREEN-M  0  UNT  AI  X      GIRLS.  161 

And  she  did  hug  him  to  her  heart,  as,  in  the  fullness  of  it, 
she  had  said  she  could." 

There  were  now  to  be  said  the  hard  words  of  good-bye, 
when  real  friends  part. 

"  She  is  almost  a  match  for  Alida,"  said  Michael,  as  they 
left  the  house,  while  its  inmates  called  down  a  shower  of 
blessings  upon  their  heads.  They  stood  a  few  minutes  on 
the  edge  of  the  road  that  Michael  was  to  take  on  his  solitary 
tramp,  while  the  doctor  gave  him  his  final  instructions.  Was 
there  a  Providence  in  all  this  delay  to  do  this  good  action  ? 
Let  us  see.  It  was  their  intention  that  Michael  should  have 
been  off  more  than  two  hours  before  While  they  were  talk 
ing,  a  wagon,  driven  by  a  particular  friend  of  the  doctor's 
came  up,  and  he  hailed  him  in  his  hearty,  earnest  way  ? 

"  Halloo,  Franklin,  which  way  now  ?" 

"  First,  I  am  going  to  Montpelier,  and  should  not  wonder 
if  I  went  over  the  other  side  of  the  mountains." 

"  Much  load  ?" 

"  Nothing  much  ;  I  am  going  after  one.     Why  ?" 

"  I  was  just  starting  my  young  friend  here  off  to  cross 
the  mountains,  by  way  of  the  Lamoille  River,  but  I  was 
thinking  that  if  he  could  get  a  ride  with  you,  it  would  be 
far  better  for  him  to  go  by  way  of  the  Onion  River." 

"  So  it  would,  and  he  shall  ride  in  welcome  ;  I  shall  be 
glad  of  company.  What  is  his  name  ?" 

"  Most  commonly,  Mike  ;  but  in  full,  Michael  Granly." 

"  Why,  where  have  I  heard  that  name  before  ?  It 
sounds  familiar.  Any  relation  of  the  Tharps  ?" 


162  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

"  No  ;  but  you  may  possibly  have  heard  Mary  mention 
it,  though  she  never  saw  its  owner  till  this  morning." 

"  Oh,  have  you  been  there — how  are  they  all  ?" 

"  That  Michael  shall  tell  you  all  about  as  you  ride." 

"  Oh  !  now  I  remember  ;  but  yet  it  cannot  be.  I  was  a 
thinking  of  a  boy  I  heard  Mary  speak  of  in  connection 
with  her  aunt." 

"  It  is  the  same." 

"  Is  it  ?  perhaps  so,  since  you  call  him  your  friend  ;  that 
is  enough  to  account  for  the  change  in  his  appearance. 
Has  he  quit  drinking,  too  ?" 

"  Yes,  and  he  is  not  the  only  one ;  but  of  that  he  will 
tell  you  ;  and  it  is  a  story  you  will  be  glad  to  hear,  and  it 
will  well  repay  you  for  the  ride." 

"  Come,  get  aboard  then.  Where  does  he  want  to  go  to 
on  the  other  side  ?  To  the  Lake  ?" 

"  Yes,  and  across  it.  He  is  going  to  my  brother's,  in 
York  State." 

"  Heavens  !  how  lucky.  Why,  I  never  saw  the  like. 
Only  think  of  it." 

"  Of  what  ?" 

"  Why,  I  am  going  to  meet  my  brother,  either  in  Mont- 
pelier,  or  at  the  Lake,  to  bring  my  mother  home.  She  has 
been  over  to  stay  with  him  a  while,  and  he  will  be  going 
back  with  an  empty  wagon,  and  he  only  lives  ten  miles 
from  your  brother.  I  declare  it  is  curious,  for  I  suppose  if 
I  had  been  five  minutes  later,  he  would  have  been  off  down 
the  other  road." 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  163 

"  Yes,  but  that  is  not  all,  if  he  had  not  been  engaged 
this  morning  in  one  of  the  most  blessed  works  in  the  world, 
he  would  have  been  away  at  any  rate.  '  There  is  a  Provi 
dence  that  shapes  our  ends,  roughhew  them  as  we  will.' " 

"  What  is  it,  doctor  ?" 

"  Something  in  which  you  are  deeply  interested.  Some 
thing  in  whichMary  is  more  so  than  in  any  act  of  her  life, 
except  it  may  be  her  marriage  with  you." 

"  Oh,  doctor,  that  is  all  over.  My  mother  is  so  opposed 
to  the  match,  that  I  have  given  it  up  to  gratify  her  ;  but  I 
never  shall  marry  anybody  else,  for  I  have  never  seen  such 
another  girl  as  Mary  Tharp." 

"Nor  I  either.  But  he  shall  tell  you  all  about  it. 
Good-bye.  Good-bye,  Michael.  Don't  forget  to  write  to 
me.  There,  God  bless  you." 

The  reader  will  have  already  seen  that  Franklin  May 
had  been  a  suitor  of  Mary  Tharp,  but  in  consequence  of  the 
prejudice  of  his  mother  against  his  marrying  "  that  old 
drunkard's  daughter,"  he  had  relinquished  his  purpose,  for 
he  had  always  been  taught  that  the  first  duty  of  a  good 
child  was  to  respect  the  opinions  of  his  mother.  She  was 
willing  to  believe  that  Mary  was  all  that  her  son  repre 
sented  her,  but  then  her  father  was  a  poor  sot — a  tavern 
lounger — who  spent  his  time  and  money  in  the  worst  of 
folly,  leaving  his  wife  and  daughter  to  work  for  their  own 
support.  She  did  not  know  Mary,  or  she  might  have  con 
sented  ;  but  Franklin  would  not  urge  the  matter,  as  his 
mother  lived  with  him,  and  he  would  not  introduce  a  wife 


164  GREEN-MOUNT  A  IX      GIRLS. 

into  the  family  against  her  consent,  because  he  wished  her 
to  love  her  new  daughter  as  well  as  she  did  himself. 

"  If,"  said  she,  "  the  old  man  would  quit  drinking,  or  if, 
what  is  far  more  likely,  he  should  die,  I  would  not  say  a 
word." 

It  can  therefore  .be  easily  imagined  with  what  a  deep  in 
terest  this  excellent  young  man  listened  to  all  the  details  of 
Mike's  story  ;  and  how  he  yearned  to  clasp  Mary  to  his 
heart,  since  her  conduct  upon  the  present  occasion,  had 
made  her  apppear  still  more  lovely  in  his  estimation.  It 
ought  to  be  mentioned  to  her  credit,  that  when  Franklin 
proposed  marriage  to  her,  she  had  made  it  a  sine  qua  non, 
that  his  mother  should  give  her  full  and  free  consent, 
without  which  she  would  never  give  her  own.  Now  he  saw 
a  bright  prospect  before  him.  He  almost  knew  that  her 
father  would  abide  by  his  resolution,  and  he  certainly  knew 
if  he  did,  that  his  mother  would  consent  to  the  marriage, 
particularly  when  she  became  acquainted  with  Mary.  How 
often  he  made  the  expression : 

"  How  providential  ;  how  singular,  that  I  should  have 
met  you  just  at  the  moment  I  did,  and  how  happy  you  have 
made  me." 

Before  the  end  of  the  journey  he  had  become  warmly 
attached  to  Michael,  so  natural  it  is  to  love  those  who 
contribute  to  our  happiness.  At  Montpelier  he  found  a  let 
ter  from  his  brother  fixing  upon  a  town  named,  near  the 
upper  end  of  the  lake,  as  the  place  of  meeting.  Owing  to 
the  hostilities  on  lake  Champlain,  he  had  not  been  able  to 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  165 

cross  lower  down.  This  prolonged  their  journey  some  three 
days  more,  but  the  time  passed  fleetly,  for  never  were  two 
travellers  more  agreeable  to  each  other. 

The  meeting  between  Franklin  and  his  mother  and  brother 
was  such  as  always  occurs  among  the  members  of  such  an 
affectionate  family.  His  brother  Jefferson,  was  considera 
bly  older  than  himself,  and  Franklin  always  looked  up  to  him 
for  counsel  and  advice,  and  as  he  had  informed  him  all  about 
Mary,  and  how  much  he  felt  disappointed  at  his  mother's 
unwillingness  for  him  to  marry  her,  Jefferson  had  been  talk 
ing  the  matter  all  over  with  her,  and  she  had  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  she  would  get  acquainted  with  Mary,  and  if 
she  found  her  such  a  girl  as  Franklin  represented,  she  would 
waive  the  other  objection,  and  consent  to  their  marriage. 

After  the  first  greetings  were  over,  she  very  much  sur 
prised  Franklin,  by  kindly  inquiring  after  Mary. 

"  Oh,  mother,  I  cannot  tell  you,  only  that  she  is  well,  but 
such  a  piece  of  news  ;  but  I  must  get  Michael  to  tell 
you  that." 

"  Michael  !  why  who  is  that  ?" 

He  told  her  all  the  preliminaries,  and  then  introduced 
Michael,  who  repeated  in  detail,  all  the  incidents  of  the 
visit  to  the  Tharp's,  upon  that  morning  with  Dr.  Field  ;  so 
the  whole  evening  was  spent  in  talking  over  the  remarkable 
events  connected  with  that  visit,  and  when  they  retired  for 
the  night,  it  would  be  difficult  to  say  which  of  the  four  were 
most  in  love  with  that  noble  specimen  of  a  Green  Mountain 
Girl — the  good  Mary  Tharp. 

Mrs.  May,  and  her  eldest  son,  were  quite  as  much  taken 


166  GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

with  Michael,  as  Franklin  had  been  ;  so  that  while  Jeffer 
son  took  charge  of  him  to  speed  him  on  his  journey,  the 
others  parted  with  him,  with  feelings  that  make  the  eye 
moist,  and  the  heart  swell  with  emotion. 

And  this  was  the  poor,  outcast,  friendless  boy,  six  months 
ago  a  hanger-on  around  Deacon  Brandon's  old  still-house, 
with  no  hope  but  a  life  of  misery,  and  a  death  of  woe.  This, 
Oh,  woman,  is  the  fruit  of  thy  holy  influence.  Alida,  thy 
good  heart  and  blessed  deeds  deserved  a  better  fate  than 
fell  to  thy  lot  1 

We  shall  now  leave  these  actors  in  our  little  drama 
of  life,  each  to  pursue  their  own  journey  to  a  pleasant,  and 
fortunate  termination,  while  we  bring  forward  ;  some  other 
scenes  that  transpired  in  the  meantime. 

As  Dr.  Field  turned  back  after  parting  with  Mike,  he 
met  Mary  at  the  little  gate  of  their  cottage  ;  he  thought  he 
had  never  seen  so  sweet  a  face  in  his  life.  It  was  a  little 
more  of  the  long  than  round  order,  but  with  a  good  full 
chin,  middling  sized  mouth,  with  large  white  teeth,  showing 
between  lips  very  red  and  full  ;  the  nose  was  straight  and 
smooth,  with  open  nostrils,  indicating  easy  breathing  ;  the 
cheek  bones  full,  and  cheeks  slightly  crimson  ;  the  eyes  were 
neither  black,  blue,  grey,  nor  hazel,  but  in  different  lights 
appeared  first  one,  then  the  other,  yet  such  as  made  every 
body  exclaim,  "What  lovely  eyes  !"  The  eye-brows  were 
arched  and  full ;  the  forehead  just  high  and  prominent 
enough  to  set  off  the  upper  part  of  the  face,  while  the  hair, 
the  bonny  brown  hair,  crowned  as  perfect  a  form  as  ever 
grew  to  womanhood,  in  the  pure  fresh  air  of  the  Green 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  167 

Mountains.  Her  hands  were  not  as  delicate  as  would  please 
a  fop,  or  fashionable  lady  of  the  present  day,  for  they  were 
enlarged  by  hard  daily  toil. 

"  Doctor,"  said  she,  with  a  full,  sweet  voice,  "  are  you 
going  up  to  the  line  from  here  ?" 

"I  shall  go  up  in  a  day  or  two.  What  can  I  do  for 
you,  Mary  ?" 

"  I  have  written  a  hasty  note  to  my  aunt ;  do  you  know 
she  is  a  double  aunt  ?  for  mother  and  she  are  sisters — telling 
her  briefly  what  has  transpired,  and  father  and  mother  want 
to  know,  if  she  won't  come  down  and  live  with  us,  and  I 
should  like  you  to  take  this  letter  up,  and  if  you  could  spare 
time,  call  and  talk  with  her  a  few  minutes." 

"  I  will  do  it  willingly,  and  with  pleasure,  but  I  will  tell 
you  a  better  plan.  I  will  send  that  letter  up  to-day,  by  a 
man  I  know,  who  is  going  right  by  the  house  ;  and  let  me 
see,  this  is  Thursday  ;  on  Saturday  at  nine  o'clock,  I  will  call 
here,  and  give  you  a  seat  in  my  dearborn,  and  put  you 
down  safe  before  night  at  your  aunt's  ;  and  on  Monday,  I 
shall  have  a  large  ox-wagon  coming  down  empty,  and 
if  you  like,  you  can  all  come  down  with  that  together,  with 
all  of  her  household  stuff.  Will  you  go  ?" 

"  Wait  a  minute,  till  I  ask  my  mother." 

"  You  are  a  good  girl  to  ask,  as  you  always  do,  but  I  have 
heard  it  all,  and. say  go,  with  all  my  heart;  I  am  sure,  we 
ought  to  be  very  thankful  to  Dr.  Field,"  said  Mrs.  Tharp, 
whojiad  been  standing  in  the  door-way  unobserved. 

"Very  well,  that  is  all  settled.  I  shall  call,  rain  or  shine; 
I  never  stop  for  the  weather." 


168  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

"  And  I  will  be  ready.  Bon  jour,  man  ami."  "  Son  jour, 
sweet  Mary."  The  doctor  had  paid  his  bill,  and  ordered  his 
horse  before  he  left  the  tavern,  not  expecting  to  be  absent  five 
minutes,  so  that  he  mounted,  and  rode  off,  without  entering 
the  house.  It  was  well  he  did  so,  for  just  then  there  was  a 
storm  breaking  out  inside,  that  would  have  made  any 
common  sized  thunder-gust  shed  tears  ;  and  there  is  no 
telling  but  that  some  of  the  flashes  of  lightning  might  have 
fallen  upon  the  head  of  the  doctor,  for  his  name  was 
severely  anathematised.  I  believe  nothing  will  make  a 
woman  more  furious,  than  to  find  that  she  has  been  over 
reached,  out-witted,  made  a  fool  of,  or  made  a  fool  of 
herself. 

Betty  had  had  sundry  misgivings,  from  the  time  she  first 
saw  "  the  young  gentleman  "  in  the  morning  ;  and  the  more 
she  thought  of  it,  the  more  strong  her  suspicions  grew,  that 
be  and  the  ragged  boy  of  the  kitchen  were  one  and  the 
same  person.  She  hinted  her  *  suspicions  once  to  Mrs., 
Decker,  who  told  her  that  "  she  was  a  stupid  fool,  to  think 
of  such  a  thing."  But  this  did  not  convince  Betty  that  she 
was  any  more  likely  to  be  the  stupid  fool  in  this  case,  than 
her  mistress  ;  but  she  had  then  no  way  to  satisfy  herself. 
She  agreed  with  John  to  ask- the  doctor,  but  he  was  so  long 
away  that  she  was  tired  of  waiting.  She  met  with  proof 
positive,  where  she  least  expected  it.  She  went  up  to  make 
the  beds,  and  without  any  definite  idea  why,  she  entered 
the  doctor's  room  first,  and  there,  spread  out  upon  a  chair, 
with  a  sort  of  malicious  purpose  to  show  how  the  lady  had 
been  deceived,  were  the  cast-off  garments  that  Michael 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  169 

wore  when  he  was  in  the  kitchen  looking  for  his  supper. 
"  Who  is  the  stupid  fool  now  ?"  exultingly  said  Betty. 
"  I  will  call  her  up  here  to  see  for  herself,  if  she  should 
pitch  me  neck  and  heels  out  of  the  window." 

Betty  went  down  to  hunt  for  madam,  and  in  doing  so  she 
met  with  Decker,  and  told  him  the  whole  story.  He  had 
heard  nothing  of  it  before,  and  never  thought  but  what  his 
wife  had  understood  all  about  the  matter  of  metamorphosing 
a  ragged  boy  into  a  young  gentleman.  He  laughed  now 
ready  to  split  his  sides,  at  the  idea  that  his  wife,  who  was 
always  bragging  of  her  cuteness,  had  been  so  completely 
humbugged.  It  would  be  a  handle  for  him  for  months,  to 
silence  her  when  she  mounted  the  "  high  fainting  strain." 
Betty  simply  asked  her  to  come  up-stairs  a  minute,  to  look 
at  something  curious  in  Dr.  Field's  room. 

As  she  entered,  Betty  pointed  to  the  chair,  and  asked 
her  if  she  knew  anything  about  those  clothes.  The  fire 
began  to  flash  out  of  her  eyes,  for  she  comprehended  the 
truth  about  as  quick  as  Betty,  but  as  if  to  make  assurance 
doubly  sure,  she  examined  the  pockets  and  found  two  or 
three  scraps  of  paper,  which  she  looked  at  intently  for  a 
moment,  and  then  said  : 

"  What  did  that  fellow  say  his  name  was  ?" 

"  Michael  Granly,  ma'am,  just  the  same  as  is  wrote  on 
them  ere  papers." 

"  Yes,  yes,  and  a  pretty  fool  I  have  been  made,  with  their 
Michael  Granly.  Oh,  I  could  cut  his  throat.  Go  and  tell 
Decker  to  come  here,  instanter  ;  and  tell  John  to  put  the 
doctor's  horse  back  in  the  stable,  and  lock  the  door,  and 

8 


172  GREEX- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

She  lay  motionless  upon  her  bed,  with  her  clothes  on  as  she 
wore  them  the  day  before.  Betty  tried  to  get  John  to  creep 
in  and  unlock  the  door.  She  might  as  well  have  tried  to 
coax  him  to  go  into  the  graveyard  after  dark.  They  repor 
ted  facts  to  Decker,  and  he  proceeded  at  once  to  force  the 
door.  They  found  the  bottle  empty,  and  life  extinct.  She 
had  swallowed  fire,  and  burnt  out  life.  Her  violent  temper 
had  been  the  cause  of  her  death.  She  had  done  what  tea 
thousand  had  done  before  her,  and  what  ten  times  that  num 
ber  have  done  since,  and  are  doing  every  day.  She  had 
resorted  to  the  bottle  as  others  do,  to  drown  trouble,  disap 
pointment,  vexation,  sorrow,  and  thus  instead  of  drowning 
those,  had  drowned  life.  It  is  a  fate  so  common  that  we 
look  upon  it  without  a  shudder,  and  scarcely  lift  a  hand  or 
give  a  word,  much  less  a  dollar,  to  avert  the  evil  from 
ourselves  or  fellow  creatures.  In  this  instance  it  only  had 
the  effect  of  closing  the  bar-room  one  day,  while  the  last  rites 
of  a  Christian  community  were  performed  for  the  dead,  but 
it  did  not  close  the  mouth  of  the  partner  of  the  deceased, 
even  for  that  short  time  ;  for  he  went  to  bed  the  night  after 
he  had  deposited  her  in  her  last  resting-place,  as  usual  with 
him,  in  that  particular  state  that  he  called  "  happy."  Per 
haps  that  is  a  proper  term,  but  if  so,  it  is  a  very  beastly  state 
of  happiness. 

Here  the  curtain  falls,  and  again  the  scene  changes,  not 
to  introduce  new  characters,  but  to  bring  forward  some  of 
the  old  ones. 


ORE  E  N- M  0  U  NT  A  I  X      GIRLS.  173 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  prospect  of  doing  a  good  action  brings  happiness — Woman  confides  in  man  and 
is  deceived — A  walk  in  the  woods — Alida  and  Mary  become  acquainted  and 
are  friends — The  Smuggler's  bridge  and  what  was  seen  there — Another  trick 
upon  the  customs  officers — Human  wolves  on  a  lamb's  track — The  fury  of  jealousy, 
among  men  and  brutes — The  demon  of  the  Distillery — The  conspiracy  for  a  sham 
marriage,  and  plans  to  counteract  it — Dr.  Field  iu  the  field,  with  Parson  White, 
out-plots  the  plotters,  who  are  arrested  as  spies — A  wedding  in  prospect— Disap 
pointment — The  minister  don't  come — Unexpected  arrival — Married  at  last — Va 
gue  suspicion  of  a  double  marriage — Waking  and  Dreaming — Looking  through  the 
grates — Visiting  the  sick — Gratitude — A  queer  Doctor's  prescription — Repentance 
— Not  yet  quite  lost. 

THURSDAY  and  Friday  were  long  days  to  Mary  Tharp,  but 
like  all  other  days,  they  had  an  end.  She  was  constantly 
thinking  of  the  happy  journey — pleasant  because  it  would 
carry  happiness  to  the  heart  of  her  aunt  and  her  poor  unfor 
tunate  cousin.  She  was  happy  to  see  that  her  father  felt 
almost  as  much  anxiety  about  her  truly  benevolent  project 
as  she  did  herself. 

"  I  have  been,"  said  he  as  he  pressed  his  daughter  affection 
ately  to  his  heart,  "  ever  since  you  knew  me,  an  incubus  upon 
you  and  your  blessed  mother  ;  but  now  I  am  going  to  make 
amends  ;  and  I  am  delighted  to  see  you  take  such  an  inter 
est  in  a  cause  that  should  have  interested  me  long  ago  ;  and 
would,  if  I  had  been  a  man.  Your  aunt  will  be  110  burden 
to  us — she  is  an  excellent  weaver  and  can  earn  her  own  liv- 


1T2  GREEX -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

She  lay  motionless  upon  her  bed,  with  her  clothes  on  as  she 
wore  them  the  day  before.  Betty  tried  to  get  John  to  creep 
in  and  unlock  the  door.  She  might  as  well  have  tried  to 
coax  him  to  go  into  the  graveyard  after  dark.  They  repor 
ted  facts  to  Decker,  and  he  proceeded  at  once  to  force  the 
door.  They  found  the  bottle  empty,  and  life  extinct.  She 
had  swallowed  fire,  and  burnt  out  life.  Her  violent  temper 
had  been  the  cause  of  her  death.  She  had  done  what  tea 
thousand  had  done  before  her,  and  what  ten  times  that  num 
ber  have  done  since,  and  are  doing  every  day.  She  had 
resorted  to  the  bottle  as  others  do,  to  drown  trouble,  disap 
pointment,  vexation,  sorrow,  and  thus  instead  of  drowning 
those,  had  drowned  life.  It  is  a  fate  so  common  that  we 
look  upon  it  without  a  shudder,  and  scarcely  lift  a  hand  or 
give  a  word,  much  less  a  dollar,  to  avert  the  evil  from 
ourselves  or  fellow  creatures.  In  this  instance  it  only  had 
the  effect  of  closing  the  bar-room  one  day,  while  the  last  rites 
of  a  Christian  community  were  performed  for  the  dead,  but 
it  did  not  close  the  mouth  of  the  partner  of  the  deceased, 
even  for  that  short  time  ;  for  he  went  to  bed  the  night  after 
he  had  deposited  her  in  her  last  resting-place,  as  usual  with 
him,  in  that  particular  state  that  he  called  "  happy."  Per 
haps  that  is  a  proper  term,  but  if  so,  it  is  a  very  beastly  state 
of  happiness. 

Here  the  curtain  falls,  and  again  the  scene  changes,  not 
to  introduce  new  characters,  but  to  bring  forward  some  of 
the  old  ones. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  173 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  prospect  of  doing  a  good  action  brings  happiness — Woman  confides  in  man  and 
is  deceived — A  walk  in  the  woods — Alida  and  Mary  become  acquainted  and 
are  friends — The  Smuggler's  bridge  and  what  was  seen  there — Another  trick 
upon  the  customs  officers — Human  wolves  on  a  lamb's  track — The  fury  of  jealousy, 
among  men  and  brutes — The  demon  of  the  Distillery — The  conspiracy  for  a  sham 
marriage,  and  plans  to  counteract  it — Dr.  Field  hi  the  field,  with  Parson  White, 
out-plots  the  plotters,  who  are  arrested  as  spies — A  wedding  in  prospect— Disap 
pointment — The  minister  don't  come — Unexpected  arrival — Married  at  last — Va 
gue  suspicion  of  a  double  marriage — Waking  and  Dreaming — Looking  through  the 
grates — Visiting  the  sick — Gratitude — A  queer  Doctor's  prescription — Repentance 
— Not  yet  quite  lost. 

THURSDAY  and  Friday  were  long  days  to  Mary  Tharp,  but 
like  all  other  days,  they  had  an  end.  She  was  constantly 
thinking  of  the  happy  journey — pleasant  because  it  would 
carry  happiness  to  the  heart  of  her  aunt  and  her  poor  unfor 
tunate  cousin.  She  was  happy  to  see  that  her  father  felt 
almost  as  much  anxiety  about  her  truly  benevolent  project 
as  she  did  herself. 

"  I  have  been,"  said  he  as  he  pressed  his  daughter  affection 
ately  to  his  heart,  "  ever  since  you  knew  me,  an  incubus  upon 
you  and  your  blessed  mother  ;  but  now  I  am  going  to  make 
amends  ;  and  I  am  delighted  to  see  you  take  such  an  inter 
est  in  a  cause  that  should  have  interested  me  long  ago  ;  and 
would,  if  I  had  been  a  man.  Your  aunt  will  be  no  burden 
to  us — she  is  an  excellent  weaver  and  can  earn  her  own  liv- 


174  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

ing,  and  more,  if  she  has  a  chance  ;  she  only  wants  a  home, 
and  some  friends,  which  she  shall  have." 

Punctual  to  his  appointment,  Dr.  Field  came.  Mary 
almost  regretted  having  to  leave,  for  this  was  the  day  of  Mrs. 
Decker's  funeral,  when  every  member  of  a  New  England 
village  in  the  good  old  time,  felt  under  obligations  to  hear 
the  funeral  sermon,  if  they  did  not  respect  the  deceased 
enough  to  follow  the  hearse  to  the  grave.  In  this  case  it 
would  not  have  been  far  to  follow,  for,  according  to  old-time 
custom,  the  windows  of  the  meeting-house  looked  down 
upon  the  burying-ground  located  in  the  very  centre  of 
the  living  population. 

The  delight  of  the  widow  Tharp  and  her  daughter  at  the 
visit  of  the  almost  angel  Mary,  and  at  the  prospect  of 
escape  from  a  neighborhood  grown  hateful  to  them,  can 
hardly  be  conceived. 

Dr.  Field  remained  but  a  few  minutes,  for  he  had  impor 
tant  business  to  attend  to,  with  Alida  Blythe  and  her 
mother,  which  he  finished  before  night,  so  that  the  inherit 
ance  settled  upon  Alida  was  transferred  to  her  mother, 
beyond  the  reach  of  any  legal  claim  her  husband  would 
have  upon  it.  He  then  arranged  with  her  to  accede  to  any 
proposition  of  Nat  when  he  returned  next  week,  to  consum 
mate  the  marriage. 

"  But  what  if  he  should  make  a  sham  of  it,  as  Mike 
suspected  ?" 

"  I  will  take  care  of  that  ;  only  let  me  know  the  time 
fixed,  and  I  will  see  that  no  deception  is  practised,  if  there 
is  even  a  disposition  to  do  so,  which  I  cannot  believe." 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  175 

"  Nor  I  ;  if  I  could,  I  would  break  off  the  engagement 
even  without  hesitation  ;  for  a  man  who  would  deceive  his 
betrothed  in  that  manner,  would  deceive  his  wife  in  a  worse 
one.  And  yet  I  am  practising  deception  in  regard  to  the 
money  ;  but  you  taught  me,  and  must  bear  a  part  of  the 
blame,  if  there  is  any." 

"  Willingly  I  will  bear  it  all.  This  measure  was  only 
taken  as  a  necessary  precaution,  as  I  told  you  before,  to 
prevent  me  or  any  one  else  from  wresting  your  property 
from  you  for  your  husband's  debts." 

"  Yes,  and  I  believe  it  is  all  right,  though  I  cannot  dis 
trust  Nat,  unless  when  he  has  been  drinking.  He  always 
has  appeared  to  me  the  very  soul  of  honor  and  love.  His 
only  fault,  his  habit  of  indulging  too  freely  in  drink,  but 
that  I  am  confident  I  can  cure  him  of." 

Confiding  woman  !  how  thou  art  deceived  by  man,  when 
he  has  woven  the  potent  spell  of  love  around  thy  heart. 

The  next  day,  Sunday,  after  meeting,  the  doctor  asked 
Alida  to  go  over  to  the  widow  Tharp's,  to  see  Mary,  in 
whose  history  she  had  become  deeply  interested. 

"  I  will  get  up  the  horse,  and  we  will  ride  over." 

"  Oh  no,  not  on  my  account ;  it  is  only  two  miles 
through  the  woods,  and  we  can  cross  the  creek  by  the 
'  Smuggler's  Bridge.'  I  believe  you  know  where  it  is, 
doctor  ?" 

He  smiled,  but  was  non-committal.  The  bridge  took  its 
name  from  a  desperate  rencontre  of  six  customs  officers  with 
a  single  individual,  always  believed  to  be  the  doctor,  but 
never  known,  who  sowed  cowhage  among  them,  and  thus 


176  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

* 

effected  his  escape.  They  afterwards  pursued  him  so  close 
that  he  abandoned  his  sleigh — an  old  one,  of  course,  with 
a  few  contraband  goods — took  out  his  horse  and  flew  to 
the  woods. 

While  they  were  intent  upon  securing  this  prize,  Jason 
Inwright  came  whistling  down  the  road,  driving  his  old 
stags,  and  a  sled-load  of  hay. 

"  Halloo,  Jason  !  where  now  ?" 

"  Wall,  you  see,  I  thought  as  how  it  looked  like  it  would 
rain  to-morrow,  and  take  off  all  the  snow,  or  at  any  rate 
spile  the  sledden,  and  as  the  boys  were  nigh  out  of  hay 
over  to  the  Shingle  Camp,  I  reckoned  I  had  better  go  over 
to-night.  I  wish  one  of  ye  would  go  along,  not  that  I'm  a 
mite  afraid  to  go  through  the  woods,  but  just  for  com 
pany." 

At  this  evident  betrayal  of  fear,  they  were  particularly 
delighted,  and  had  a  good  laugh  at  Jason,  so  that  he  drove 
off  a  little  vexed — as  they  thought — but  hauling  hay  at 
night  was  so  much  in  keeping  with  this  odd  genius,  that 
they  never  suspected  that  hidden  in  the  centre  of  that  load 
were  six  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  goods,  and  that  the 
owner  of  the  sleigh,  whoever  he  was,  and  the  owner  of 
Jason's  load,  were  one  and  the  same  individual. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  Alida  and  Mary  were  mutually 
delighted  with  each  other,  for  their  natural  dispositions 
were  congenial.  Each  possessed  a  disposition  to  do  good. 
Of  course,  Mary  had  to  tell  her  all  about  the  visit  of  the 
doctor  and  Michael,  and  how  much  she  liked  the  latter. 
How  much  more  she  would  have  liked  him,  could  she  have 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  117 

known  what  an  effect  he  had  already  wrought  upon  the 
mind  of  Frank  May  and  his  mother  ;  for  since  her  father's 
resolution  to  reform,  love  and  hope  had  already  began  to 
nestle  again  iu  her  young  heart. 

Then  Alida  and  Mrs.  Tharp  had  so  many  kind  words  to 
say  of  "  that  boy,"  that  he  grew  quite  a  hero,  and  they  all 
voted  that  "  he  would  make  somebody  yet,"  for  which  the 
world  would  be  principally  indebted  to  Dr.  Field ;  for 
though  Alida  had  sown  the  seed,  yet  thistles  might  have 
sprung  up  and  destroyed  its  growth,  if  the  doctor  had  not 
came  with  his  timely  aid  to  assist  in  tilling  the  ground. 

So  delighted  were  those  two  girls  with  each  other,  and 
so  rapidly  sped  the  time,  that  it  was  dusk  before  Alida  said, 
"  I  declare  I  must  go  home,  or  it  will  be  pitch  dark." 

Dr.  Field  proposed  that  Mary  should  go  home  with 
Alida,  and  go  down  with  him  next  day,  but  she  declined. 

"  No,  there  will  be  a  good  deal  of  work  to  do  in  the 
morning,  to  pack  up,  and  I  will  stay  and  help  aunt,  and 
then  keep  her  company  on  the  way." 

It  was  a  noble  resolution,  and  Alida  could  not,  would 
not  say,  "  Oh,  do  go,"  much  as  she  would  have  been 
pleased  with  her  pleasant  company  ;  and  so  they  kissed 
good  night  and  parted. 

It  was  quite  dusk,  nearly  dark,  when  the  doctor  and 
Alida  reached  the  Smuggler's  Bridge  ;  so  much  so  that 
they  did  not  observe  two  men  who  came  up  from  another 
woods  path  just  as  they  reached  the  bridge,  notwithstand 
ing  they  passed  within  ten  feet  of  them.  Alida  and  the 
doctor  stopped  a  few  minutes  upon  the  bridge,  listening  to 

8* 


178  GREEN- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

the  wind  as .  it  came  up  the  valley,  sighing  through  the  old 
hemlocks,  in  wild  woods  music.  Both  were  silent  for 
a  brief  space,  and  then  commenced  a  conversation  about 
Mary  and  her  old  lover.  Two  pair  of  ears  were  strained  to 
catch  the  conversation  ;  but  without  being  able  to  get  at 
the  thread  of  their  discourse,  they  caught  the  words, 
"lovely  girl"  —  "sweet  as  an  angel" — "loves  him" — 
"happy" — "such  a  place  for  romantic  lovers" — etc.,  etc., 
quite  enough  for  such  minds  as  Scale  Williams'  and  John 
Longwood's,  who  were  the  listeners,  to  construe  into  some 
thing  criminal  between  the  parties  in  conversation  in  that 
lonely  spot. 

"  Won't  this  be  nuts  for  Nat,"  said  one  of  them,  "  when 
he  comes  back  ?" 

"The  shameless  hussy  !  to  be  out  here  with  that  scamp, 
listening  to  his  love  passages,  and  telling  him  how  well  she 
loves  him,  and  all  that  stuff." 

"  Yes,  and  if  it  hadn't  been  for  us,  Nat  would  have  been 
fool  enough  to  marry  her." 

"  Ah,  she  can  play  the  prude  with  us  young  fellows,  and 
yet  have  an  appointment  with  a  married  man.  But  we  will 
humble  her." 

Such  was  the  conversation  of  those  worthies,  after  the 
object  of  their  malignancy  had  left  the  bridge,  little  suspect 
ing  that  worse  wild  beasts  than  wolves  were  upon  her  track. 

In  two  days  afterwards  Nat  arrived,  apparently  well 
satisfied  with  his  journey,  for  he  had  accomplished  one  pur 
pose  he  had  in  view  when  he  started — he  had  married 
Maria  Louise.  We  will  do  him  the  credit,  too,  to  state 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  179 

that  he  had  also  determined  to  give  up  the  nefarious  plot 
that  had  been  concocted  before  he  left,  for  the  ruin  of 
Alida  ;  but  the  conspirators  watched  their  opportunity 
when  he  was  under  just  the  right  amount  of  whisky  influ 
ence,  and  then  told  him,  with  abundant  additions  and  illus 
trations,  about  the  scene  on  the  bridge. 

It  is  a  certain  fact,  that  a  man  may  be  dead  to  every 
other  feeling  but  jealousy,  but  if  you  can  arouse  that,  he 
suddenly  grows  furious.  This  is  even  the  case  among  the 
animals  that  we  call  brutes,  though  why,  when  some  men 
are  equally  brutish,  is  not  so  very  clear. 

Nat  had  not  been  a  week  under  the  influence  of  bad  com 
pany  and  bad  liquor,  before  all  the  bad  passions  of  his  na 
ture  were  sufficiently  aroused  to  fit  him  for  any  deed  but  a 
manly  one.  The  demon  of  the  distillery  had  him  in  his 
power,  and  his  imps  were  leading  him  as  they  have  ten  thou 
sand  others,  to  what  appeared  a  bed  of  roses,  but  what  would 
prove  a  bed  of  thorns  and  hissing  serpents.  Such  is  the  effect 
of  liquor  upon  the  human  system  everywhere — it  destroys 
humanity  and  makes  man  a  brute.  No  fabled  Demon  that 
has  ever  afflicted  the  human  family,  bears  any  comparison,  in 
the  amount  of  evil  done,  to  the  demon  of  the  distillery.  John 
Longwood  and  Scale  Williams  told  their  story  with  abund 
ant  amplification  of  their  own  ;  how  Dr.  Field  had  spent  two 
nights  at  widow  Blythe's,  and  how  Alida  and  him  were  out 
in  the  woods  till  after  dark,  in  a  very  unfrequented  lonely 
place — until  they  finally  succeeded  in  making  Nat  believe 
that  Alida  was  as  bad  as  he  was  himself.  How  could 
she  be  as  bad  as  her  traducers,  who  had  learned,  of  the 


180  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

first  person  to  whom  they  told  their  villainous  story, 
that  there  was  no  foundation  for  scandal  to  rest  upon  ? 
because  Alida  and  the  doctor  had  only  been  upon  one  of  the 
holy  missions  of  the  Sabbath.  But  this  was  no  bar  to  their 
wicked  determination — they  had  a  slight  cause,  but  by 
management  they  could  enlarge  it  to  suit  their  purpose. 
Alida's  truthfulness  and  simplicity,  and  entire  innocence 
of  all  thoughts  of  guile,  gave  aid  to  the  conspirators  ;  for 
she  told  Nat,  as  a  matter  of  news,  about  Dr.  Field's  visit 
there,  and  how  she  went  over  to  Mrs.  Tharp's,  and  did  not 
get  back  through  the  woods  until  after  dark,  and  what  a 
fright  she  had  at  the  Smuggler's  Bridge,  fancying  that  she 
saw  two  men  trying  to  creep  up  nearer  where  the  doctor 
and  she  were  talking  together." 

"  Talking  there  at  that  time  of  night  ?" 
"Yes,  talking.     Why,  how  queer  you  look." 
"  Oh,  do  I  ?    I  was  perhaps  surprised  that  you  should  be 
stopping  on  the  bridge  in  the  dark,  and  wondering  what  you 
could  be  talking  about  at  that  time  of  night.     Why  did  you 
not  go  straight  home,  if  it  was  so  dark  ?" 

"  Why,  it  was  not  late  ;  it  was  the  trees  that  made  it  dark 
all  around,  except  just  a  little  spot  where  we  were,  where 
the  stars  peeped  through  and  were  reflected  in  the  water 
below,  so  beautiful  ;  you  know  how  fond  I  am  of  such 
things." 

"  Yes,  when  you  have  good  company,  I  know  you  are." 
"  True,  that  makes  the  lovely  scenes  of  nature  enchanting 

always,  but  still  I  love  to  go  alone  into  the  woods ." 

"  To  meet  company  ?" 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  181 

The  meeting  that  he  had  witnessed  with  Michael  came  to 
his  recollection,  and  rankled  in  his  heart  as  the  venom 
of  that  green-eyed  monster  which  torments  th'e  world  can 
only  rankle,  and  embitter  our  existence. 

"  No  not  that,  but  to  contemplate  the  majesty  of  that 
power  which  could  create  these  stupendous  rocks  and  giant 
trees,  and  at  this  season  deck  all  nature  with  springing  buds 
and  leaves  and  flowers,  and  robe  the  fields  in  green.  It 
makes  me  happier  and  better  every  time  I  go  abroad.  I 
do  wish  that  you  could  enjoy  these  things  as  I  do.  I  must 
really  teach  you  how  after  we  are  married." 

"  Well,  when  shall  that  be  ?" 

"  I  am  ready  whenever  you  think  best,  unless  you  are 
willing  to  wait  until  your  father  and  my  mother  will  consent 
for  us  to  be  married  at  home." 

"  That  is  hopeless — it  is  useless  to  wait." 

"  Then  take  the  other  course.  I  have  pledged  my  word, 
and  intend  to  abide  by  it." 

"  Say  next  Thursday  night,  then.  We  will  go  to  Rufe 
Howell's,  and  that  you  know  is  right  on  the  line,  and  you 
can  be  married  upon  either  side  you  like." 

"  I  shall  try  to  be  ready  then." 

"  Very  well,  good-bye,  till  that  time." 

The  first  thing  that  Alida  did,  was  to  write  a  note  to 
Dr.  Field,  to  apprise  him  of  the  fact,  as  she  had  agreed  to 
do,  though  of  what  possible  advantage  it  would  be  to  her 
she  could  not  imagine,  for  she  had  not  a  shade  of  suspicion 
now,  of  the  honesty  of  Nat's  purposes. 


182          GREEN- MOUNTAIN   GIRLS. 

It  was  arranged  by  Nat  and  his  coadjutors  in  this  scheme 
of  iniquity,  that  they  should  meet  him  at  the  appointed 
hour  at  Ho  well's,  where  Blythe  White  was  to  act  the  par 
son,  and  perform  the  ceremony,  with  no  one  to  witness  it 
but  his  two  companions,  who  were  the  originators  of  a 
piece  of  wickedness  for  which  heaven  will  not  forget  to  visit 
upon  them  its  just  vengeance. 

Alida  heard  or  saw  nothing  of  Dr.  Field,  till  just  at 
dusk  Thursday  evening,  when  a  boy  brought  her  a  scrap  of 
paper,  torn  from  the  letter,  with  his  address,  which  she 
sent  him,  with  these  words  written  in  pencil — "  all  right — 
go  ahead." 

The  doctor  "  had  business "  iu  that  neighborhood  that 
evening,  and  watched  the  operations  of  all  concerned — saw 
Blythe,  John,  and  Scale  go  off  together,  a  little  before 
night  on  the  road  to  Howell's,  which  confirmed  his  suspi 
cions  that  Michael  had  heard  aright.  The  doctor  knew 
Parson  White  as  a  straightforward,  honest  man,  and 
thought  the  best  thing  for  him  to  do,  was  to  go  straight 
to  him  and  lay  open  the  whole  case,  and  the  grounds  of  his 
suspicions. 

It  was  the  best  plan  he  could  have  adopted.  The  old 
man  entered  into  the  doctor's  views  heartily.  He  had 
urged  sister  Blythe  to  give  her  consent,  since  he  saw  the 
young  folks  were  determined  to  marry,  and  till  now,  he  had 
thought  Xat  every  way  worthy  of  her.  He  did  not  know 
how  far  he  had  gone  in  his  career  of  inebriation,  but  could 
readily  see  that  it  was  all  owing  to  that  cause,  that  he  was 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  183 

now  acting  in  the  manner  he  did  ;  though  why  he  should 
do  so,  he  could  not  understand  ;  and  could  not  believe  that 
Blythe  would  lend  himself  to  such  a  wicked  scheme. 

"  But  if  it  is  so,  doctor,  we  will  outplot  the  plotters.  I 
will  take  my  mare  and  ride  up  to  Howell's  with  you  after 
dark,  taking  care  not  to  be  seen,  and  you  are  pretty  good 
at  expedients,  and  I  will  trust  to  you  to  get  rid  of  my  bad 
boy,  just  at  the  nick  of  time,  and  then  introduce  me  to  the 
truants,  and  I  will  take  care  to  tie  the  knot  fast  enough,  so 
it  will  never  slip,  I  will  warrant  you." 

With  this  understanding,  they  set  off  about  fifteen  min 
utes  after  Nat  and  Alida  started  from  the  Deacon's, 
apparently  to  go  home,  but  really  to  mount  ready  saddled 
horses,  and  ride  off  towards  the  line.  It  was  pretty  well 
contrived — Mrs.  Blythe  thought  Alida  was  at  Deacon 
Brandon's,  and  they  thought  Nat  was  at  Mrs.  Blythe's. 
Parson  White  and  the  doctor  took  a  woods-path,  well  known 
to  the  latter,  and  arrived  some  minutes  before  the  others. 
Howell  was  a  particular  friend  of  the  doctor's,  and  ready 
to  forward  any  plan  he  suggested.  Howell  said  the  three 
young  men  were  together  in  a  private  room,  and  it  immedi 
ately  suggested  itself  to  the  doctor's  mind,  that  they  were 
disguising  Blythe  to  act  his  part,  and  that  put  him  upon  a 
track  he  was  sure  would  lead  to  a  safe  termination.  He 
stepped  over  to  the  barracks,  the  commanding  officer  of 
which  he  was  well  acquainted  with,  and  mentioned  his  sus 
picions  "  that  one  Blythe  White,  from  the  other  side  of  the 
line,  was  in  the  '  Line  Tavern '  in  disguise,  probably  for  the 
purpose  of  acting  as  a  spy.  He  thought,  perhaps,  the  officer 


184  GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

might  do  well  to  have  him  and  his  two  companions  taken 
into  custody." 

"  But  I  say,  captain,"  continued  the  doctor,  "  as  his  cou 
sin  has  just  arrived,  and  is  about  to  be  married  by  the  old 
parson,  this  young  man's  father,  to  a  son  of  the  deacon  of 
his  church,  let  the  arrest  be  made  in  the  quietest  manner 
possible,  so  as  not  to  disturb  the  wedding  party." 

"  It  shall  be  done.  I  will  send  a  fellow  we  call  Cute 
Bryson  ;  he  will  do  it  so  cute  that  the  fellows  will  hardly 
know  it  themselves,  till  they  are  locked  up  in  the  guard 
house." 

It  was  a  cunningly  arranged  plan,  and  neatly  executed, 
almost  as  soon  as  designed.  How  the  old  parson  did 
chuckle  over  it,  when  the  doctor  told  him  what  had  been 
done,  for  he  thought  it  would  be  a  fit  punishment  for  them 
to  spend  a  night  in  the  guard-house. 

By  this  time  Nat  was  in  a  state  of  tribulation,  for  by  an 
understanding  with  the  doctor,  Howell  was  as  perfect  a 
"know  nothing"  as  any  of  the  present  day,  as  far  as 
regarded  his  companions.  After  waiting  till  hope  of  their 
arrival  had  become  exhausted,  they  were  about  to  set  out 
on  their  return,  as  Alida  insisted  upon  going  back  that 
night,  and  Nat  did  not  dare  to  insist  upon  her  staying 
unless  the  ceremony  had  been  performed.  Howell  ven 
tured  to  offer  a  word  of  advice,  that  as  Nat's  friend,  the 
"  young  minister  " — young  reprobate — had  failed  to  come, 
it  wa'nt  worth  while  to  go  back  now  without  being  married, 
and  he  insisted  upon  calling  in  one  of  the  nicest  old  par 
son's  in  the  world,  who  was  in  the  other  room,  and  had  just 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  ,185 

taken  his  supper  and  a  stiff  mug  of  flip,  and  felt  in  glorious 
humor  for  a  wedding. 

"  How  much  like  Uncle  White,"  thought  Alida.  "  I  do 
wonder  if  all  ministers  drink  flip." 

Nat  made  a  great  many  objections  -and  excuses,  but 
Howell  could  not  see  the  validity  of  any  of  them,  and 
opened  the  door  and  called  in  his  wife  and  daughter,  who 
both  joined  their  forces  to  his. 

"  I  declare,"  said  the  young  lady,  "  I  will  go  right 
straight  and  get  Dr.  Field,  and  we  two  will  stand  up  with 
them,  and  that  nice  old  minister  shall  say  the  ceremony, 
and  then  he  may  kiss  the  bride  and  bridesmaid  too  ;  don't 
you  say  so,  miss  ?  Never  mind,  you  need  not  say  it,  you 
look  it ;"  and  away  she  ran,  full  of  the  cause,  as  young 
girls  always  are  when  there  is  a  wedding  on  hand.  Back 
she  came  in  two  minutes,  with  the  doctor,  and  then  she 
was- perfectly  delighted  to  find  the  couple  and  him  were  old 
acquaintances.  Of  course  she  did  not  know  it  before,  and 
of  course  Alida  was  very  mueh  surprised  to  see  the  doctor 
there  ;  and  then  she  was  ashamed  that  he  had  caught  her 
in  a  sort  of  an  elopement.  Nat  was  not  surprised  to  meet 
him  there,  and  vould  not  have  been  if  he  had  met  him  on 
the  peaks  of  the  Andes,  or  in  the  crater  of  Vesuvius.  He 
was  just  the  kind  of  Yankee  character,  always  turning  up 
when  least  expected.  Nat  was  embarrassed  at  the  doctor's 
presence,  for  he  thought  it  boded  him  no  good,  and  still 
more  embarrassed  when  he  inquired,  "  Why  on  earth  they 
did  not  go  to  good  old  Parson  White,  and  get  married,  since 


186*  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

they  had  determined  on  it  ;  you  know  he  'cried  you  off'  six 
months  ago,  and  that  stands  good  yet." 

Nat  stammered  some  incoherent  reply,  but  Alida  said  : 
"  Why,  you  know,  doctor,  our  folks  object  to  our  getting 
married  yet  a  while,  but  Nat  said  I  was  of  age  now,  and  so 
we  came  up  here,  where  we  expected  to  meet  a  young  minis 
ter,  a  particular  friend  of  Nat's,  who  begged  the  privilege 
of  marrying  us,  and  yet  somehow  he  has  failed  to  keep  his 
appointment,  and  so  we  are  going  back." 

"  What,  without  being  married  ?     Oh,  no,  no,  no." 
This  was  a  general  expression  of  all  present,  and  Howell 
and  his  wife,  and  three  or  four  girls  had  come  in  to  see  the 
wedding. 

Lydia,  the  volunteer  bridesmaid  said,  "  Father,  do  go  and 
ask  the  old  minister  in  the  other  room,  to  come  in  and  marry 
them,  and  if  he  won't  do  it,  we  will  send  for  Dr.  Maiden- 
homme,  and  he  will,  and  right  glad  of  the  job,  but  he  shan't 
kiss  the  bridesmaid." 

"  Why,  Lydia,"  said  her  mother,  "  how  you  do  go  on." 
"  I  can't  help  it  mother,  I  do  want  to  have  a  wedding  so 
bad." 

Nat  made  sundry  excuses  ;  "he  did  not  like  to  be  married 
by  a  stranger,  he  had  rather  wait  for  his  friend,  or  go  back 
to  Parson  White,  etc.  etc.  Upon  the  whole,  he  had  made  up 
his  mind,  that  he  would  be  married  by  Parson  White,  and 
nobody  else.  He  was  quite  ready  for  that,  to-night,  or  any 
other  time." 

"  Then  you  shall  have  it  your  own  way,"  said  Dr.  Field. 


SREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  187 

Lydia  had  almost  began  to  despair  of  having  that 
extreme  gratification  of  a  young  lady,  a  wedding,  when  her 
father  entered  with  Parson  White.  As  soon  as  Alida 
caught  sight  of  him,  she  flew  to  his  arms — she  was  always 
a  pet  of  his — and  kissed  him  most  fondly. 

"  Oh,  uncle,  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you.  Did  Providence 
send  you  here  at  this  juncture  ?" 

"  Of  course  it  did,  my  dear  girl ;  it  overrules  all  things. 
And  so  you  ran  away  from  your  old  uncle,  did  you,  you 
young  minx,  to  get  married  ?" 

"  Oh,  forgive  me,  do,  but  I  did  it  to  please  Nat ;  now  he 
is  so  glad  you  have  come,  for  he  was  just  insisting  upon  our 
going  back  to  be  married  by  you.  He  said  he  would 
not  be  married  by  anybody  else." 

Was  Nat  glad  that  Parson  White  had  come  ?  Probably, 
if  he  could  have  had  his  choice,  he  would,  that  minute,  much 
rather  have  taken  his  chance  at  seeing  another  old  fellow, 
horns,  hoof,  tail,  and  all.  He  would  have  retreated,  but  he 
could  not ;  he  was  enfiladed  upon  every  side,  by  a  host, 
against  which  it  was  useless  to  combat.  He  had  but  one 
hope,  if  married  by  Parson  White,  the  ceremony  must  be 
performed  on  the  south  side  of  the  line,  and  he  might  thus 
escape  the  charge  of  bigamy,  as  the  first  took  place  in 
Canada.  He  stood  pale  and  trembling,  as  a  culprit  before 
the  judge,  just  about  to  pronounce  his  doom.  His  agitation 
was  attributed  to  the  fact  of  being  caught  in  his  elopement, 
before  its  object  was  accomplished.  None  doubted  his 
readiness  to  enter  into  the  matrimonial  bonds.  Yes,  Dr. 
Field,  began  to  have  some  doubts,  that  all  was  not  right, 


188  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

and  when  the  old  parson  said,  "  If  any  one  has  aught  to  say 
why  this  man  and  woman  should  not  be  joined  together  in 
the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony,  let  him  speak  now,  or  else, 
ever  afterwards  hold  his  peace,"  he  was  on  the  point  of  say 
ing,  "  stop,  I  have  objections."  The  words  fairly  trembled 
upon  his  tongue,  ready  to  roll  out,  like  a  sudden  peal  of  thun 
der,  to  disturb  the  little  group  gathered  in  a  circle  around  the 
"happy  couple."  Such  a  word  would  have  been  very  like 
a  bomb-shell,  thrown  into  the  midst  of  a  camp,  from  an 
unseen  and  unexpected  enemy  ;  however,  ere  he  could  bring 
his  thoughts  to  utterance,  he  reflected,  and  said  to  himself, 
"  What  can  I  say  why  they  should  not  be  united  ?  Not  one 
word.  I  know  nothing — perhaps,  after  all,  am  mistaken  in 
my  suspicions,  which  are  but  vague  at  best.  Upon  the 

• 

whole,  it  is  better  to  let  things  take  their  course."  So  he 
reasoned  to  himself ;  in  spite  of  all  his  reasoning,  he  could 
not  help  thinking  that  something  mysterious  was  connected 
with  the  whole  business,  and  something  so  impressed  his 
mind  that  this  was  a  double  marriage,  that  he  could  hardly 
restrain  himself,  even  after  the  benediction  had  been  pro 
nounced  over  the  newly-married  couple,  of  uttering  his 
thoughts,  and  thus  preventing  the  consummation  of  the 
marriage,  until  the  matter  could  be  investigated.  Why  did 
he  not  think  to  go  to  Blythe  White,  who  after  being  left  to 
his  own  sober,  second  thoughts,  in  the  solitude  of  one  of  the 
lock-up  rooms  of  the  guard-house,  began  to  reflect  upon  the 
iniquity  of  the  plot  to  ruin  his  poor  cousin,  and  then  he 
would  gladly  have  told  all  he  knew,  to  save  her  from  a  fate 
bitter  as  death.  In  vain  he  begged  the  sentry  to  allow  him 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS  189 

to  send  a  line  to  a  friend  outside.  It  was  no  use  ;  the 
fellow  had  received  strict  orders  to  allow  no  communication 
whatever  with  the  prisoner  until  morning,  and  he  was 
determined  to  do  the  first  duty  of  a  soldier — obey  orders. 
If  these  orders  had  not  been  so  strict,  no  marriage  would 
have  taken  place  ;  or  if  the  information  which  he  would 
have  communicated  had  not  arrived  in  time  to  prevent  the 
ceremony,  it  would  before  the  wedding-party  broke  up,  for 
the  supper  and  general  "  good  time,"  which  wedding  and 
wine  brings  on,  kept  the  guests  from  their  beds  till  a  late 
hour  in  the  night,  or  rather  in  the  morning,  and  when  they 
did  seek  them,  if  one  word  from  Blythe  had  reached  Dr. 
Field's  ear,  the  bride  and  bridegroom  would  have  been 
furnished  with  separate  lodging-rooms  upon  their  wedding- 
night. 

All  but  Dr.  Field  slept  late  the  next  morning  ;  he  as  usual 
was  early  astir,  and  out  on  a  morning  walk,  while  all  around 
was  still,  calm,  sweet — such  only  as  can  be  found  among 
the  habitations  of  men,  in  some  of  our  New  England  villages, 
just  after  daylight  of  a  May  morning,  before  the  inhabitants 
awake  to  the  busy  hum  of  their  industrious  lives  As  he 
wandered  on  beyond  the  little  collection  of  wooden  houses, 
every  one  of  which  could  boast  a  garden  worthy  of  a  more 
wealthy  owner,  he  became  so  absorbed  in  thoughts — suspi 
cions — of  the  things  connected  with  the  previous  evening 
that  he  was  quite  unconscious  whither  his  steps  had  led  him, 
and  was  startled  more  than  he  would  have  been  to  meet  a 
score  of  bayonets,  when  fully  conscious  of  the  approach  of  a 
foe,  at  hearing  his  own  name  called,  apparently  close  to  his 


190  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

ear.  Although  walking,  he  was  dreaming,  and  as  much 
asleep  in  one  sense,  as  he  had  been  any  time  before  he  left  his 
bed.  It  was  no  wonder  he  started,  when  he  heard  the  voice 
so  close  to  his  ear  call  out : 

"  Dr.  Field,  Oh,  Doctor,  let  me  speak  with  you  a  minute." 

The  voice  seemed  familiar,  but  while  only  half  waking 
from  his  day  dream,  he  did  not  recognise  it.  He  looked  up 
and  found  himself  close  to  a  grated  window  of  the  barrack, 
with  an  unrecognised  haggard  face  peering  out  upon  him  ; 
the  eyes  were  red,  as  though  they  had  wept  all  night  and 
slept  none.  The  face  did  not  wear  a  natural  expression,  for 
it  had  been  painted  and  ornamented  with  false  whiskers,  aud 
crowned  with  a  wig  for  disguise  the  evening  before.  The 
doctor  was  just  going  to  say  "  Who  are  you  ?"  when  a  bay 
oneted  musket  was  thrust  before  him  and,  "  no  talking 
with  prisoners,"  uttered  in  a  stern  voice,  and  he  was  peremp 
torily  ordered  off. 

"  Ob,  doctor,  are  they  married  ?"  came  from  the  grates,  and 
he  replied,  "  Yes,"  which  was  followed  by  a  heavy  groan, 
and  a  sound  as  though  the  prisoner  had  fallen  to  the  floor. 
The  doctor  was  now  fully  awake,  and  sensible  who  had  ad 
dressed  him,  but  still  more  distressed  at  the  question,  and 
apparent  effect  of  the  answer  upon  the  questioner.  The  im 
pression  that  had  haunted  him  all  night,  was  suddenly  con 
firmed.  He  turned  to  the  sentinel  and  said,  "  take  me  to  the 
officer  of  the  day." 

"What  for  ?  I  don't  think  you  have  done  anything.  I 
saw  you  approach  as  though  walking  in  your  sleep,  and  how 
vou  started  when  spoken  to.  If  you  had  undertaken  to 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  191 

speak  with  a  prisoner,  it  would  have  been  my  duty  to  take 
you  to  the  officer.  I  don't  think  you  meant  any  offence, 
and  besides,  I  believe  the  man  inside  is  crazy,  by  the  way  he 
has  run  on  all  my  watch." 

"  Well,  I  wish  to  see  the  officer  about  this  man.  I  know 
he  is  crazy,  and  I  suppose  he  has  got  into  some  difficulty  on 
that  account." 

"  Oh,  if  that  is  it,  God  bless  you,  come  this  way,  and  1 
will  pass  you  to  the  next  sentry,  and  his  walk  reaches  the 
guard-room." 

.  "  Thank  you.     I  see  you  have  a  heart.     Will  you  accept 
a  trifle  ?"  handing  him  a  half  dollar. 

"  I  will,  as  a  providential  gift,  for  I  surely  need  it.  I  have 
a  sick  child  and  no  money  to  get  some  necessary  medicine. 
British  soldiers  are  poorly  paid." 

"  I  knew  it,  or  I  would  not  have  offered  it.  But  I  will 
do  more — where  is  your  child.  I  will  go  and  see  it ;  I  am 
a  physician." 

"  And  yet  one  of  our  enemies,  and  offer  such  kindness, 
without  hope  of  reward,  when  I  could  not  get  our  own 
physician  to  look  in  without  his  fee  in  advance,  though  I 
offered  to  pledge  him  a  month's  pay.  If  I  live  to  see  this 
war  over,  and  my  time  out,  I  will  settle  south  of  the  line, 
you  may  be  sure  of  that.  Here,  do  you  see  that  window  ? 
the  lamp  is  still  burning.  I  suppose  her  poor  mother  has 
fallen  asleep,  watching  as  only  a  mother  can  watch,  over 
the  sick  bed  of  a  dying  child." 

The  doctor  was  about  to  go  to  see  the  sick,  before  he 
visited  the  well,  when  the  soldier  called  after  him  to  stop  a 


192  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

moment,  as  he  heard  the  relief  just  turning  out,  and  in  ten 
minutes  he  could  go  with  him.  He  did  so,  and  they  found 
the  room  as  neat  and  comfortable  as  the  utmost  skill  of  a 
good  wife  could  make  the  home  of  poverty.  Just  as  her 
husband  had  predicted,  the  poor,  toil-worn  mother  had 
fallen  asleep  upon  the  camp-chest,  while  the  child,  a  sweet 
little  girl  of  six,  with  a  profusion  of  dark  curls,  lay  in  a  sort 
of  stupor  upon  the  hard  bed  of  her  soldier  father.  That  the 
mother  did  not  sleep  easy  was  evident,  by  the  fact  that  she 
sprang  to  her  feet  at  the  very  first  creak  of  the  door, 
rubbing  her  eyes,  while  she  said  "  Oh,  what  is  it,  dear  ? 
Don't  cry,  mother  is  here.  Oh,  George,  is  it  you  ?  I 
thought  I  heard  Georgiana  cry.  She  is  very  sick,  George." 

"  And  you  have  been  watching  all  night.  But  here  is 
the  doctor  ;  not  our  doctor,  but  one  from  the  other  side ;  he 
has  volunteered  to  come  and  look  at  our  darling." 

"  1  am  afraid  it  will  do  no  good,  as  we  have  no  money  to 
pay  him,  or  buy  medicine." 

"  Pay  he  does  not  ask,  and  here  is  money." 

"  Then  God  has  heard  my  prayer.  And  how  strange,  too  ; 
I  dreamed  that  you  came  in  with  a  doctor,  and  I  believe  as 
I  live  this  gentleman  looks  just  as  he  did  in  my  dream,  and 
said  our  little  girl  would  get  well." 

"  And  so  he  says  now,"  said  Dr.  Field,  who  had  been  busy 
examining  the  child  ;  "  she  has  got  the  measles,  and  they 
are  coming  out  finely,  and  as  she  is  a  robust  child,  I  ven 
ture  to  promise  you,  that  she  will  get  well.  There,  take 
that  prescription,  and  go  down  to  Howell's,  and  I  will  call 
in  again  by  and  by,  and  tell  you  how  to  use  the  medicines. 


UREEN-MOUNTAIX     GIRLS.  193 

"  The  saffron  tea  you  will  make  at  once,  and  let  her 
drink  it  freely.  She  will  be  up  in  two  days." 

It  was  a  queer  doctor's  prescription;  but  did  not  surprise 
Howell  any,  though  it  did  the  soldier,  who  was  not  so  well 
acquainted  with  the  eccentricities  of  the  physician  as  he 
was.  Besides  the  medicine,  a  loaf  of  wheat  bread,  some 
butter,  preserves,  jelly,  tea,  coffee,  sugar,  and  to-morrow  a 
pot  of  chicken-broth,  were  all  ordered  at  the  doctor's 
expense.  The  soldier  refused  to  take  them,  but  Howell 
told  him  "  he  must,  and  must  come  again  next  day,"  and 
added,  on  his  own  account,  "  and  every  day  until  the  little  girl 
gets  well,  and  then  tell  the  mother  to  come  and  bring  the 
child." 

The  soldier  was  overwhelmed  with  gratitude  for  the  favor, 
coming  as  it  did  from  the  Yankees,  and  it  made  him  still 
more  anxious  for  the  time  when  he  could  cross  the  line,  and 
become  one  of  .the  "  universal  .nation." 

Having  prescribed  both  food  and  medicine  for  the 
soldier's  wife  and  child,  the  doctor  lost  no  time  in  making 
his  way  to  the  room  where  Blythe  White  had  spent  the 
most  miserable  night  of  his  life,  shut  up  alone  with  a  guilty, 
conscience,  besides  the  fear  that  he  might  be  treated  as  a  spy  ; 
but  that  and  the  usual  punishment  awarded  to  those  taken 
in  the  act,  did  not  disturb  him  half  as  much  as  the  knowl 
edge  of  the  part  he  had  acted  towards  Alida.  He  thought, 
too,  that  Nat  might  be  placed  in  such  a  situation,  that  he 
would  be  compelled  to  call  in  a  regular  minister,  and  thus 
not  only  ruin  Alida,  but  send  himself  to  the  penitentiary  for 
the  crime  of  bigamy.  All  night  he  felt  that  one  word  from 

9 


194  GREEN- MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

him  would  save  them  ;  and  yet,  as  it  often  happens  in  our 
dreams,  that  one  word  he  could  not  speak.  When  Dr.  Field 
answered  yes  to  his  question,  he  sank  exhausted  to  the  floor. 
A  sense  of  guilt,  shame,  and  regret  overpowered  him.  It 
was  a  painful  night,  yet  he  reverted  to  it  years  afterwards, 
as  one  that  marked  the  commencement  of  the  first  happy 
period  of  his  life,  for  it  was  the  first  of  repentance  for  past 
errors,  and  the  first  of  a  firm  resolve  never  to  destroy  the 
manhood  of  his  nature  again  in  the  orgies  of  that  old  still- 
house.  He  had  not  yet  come  to  the  resolution  of  teetotal 
abstinence  ;  that  came  afterwards,  and  clung  to  him  through 
life.  He  was  not  by  nature  bad,  but  he  had  long  been 
under  the  influence  of  bad  companions,  and  had  drowned 
every  compunction  of  conscience  in  the  poison  which  flowed 
from  that  destroying  worm  of  Deacon  Brandon's  distillery. 
He  needed  some  great  calamity  ;  some  terrible  shock,  to 
arouse  him  to  a  sense  of  his  guilt  and  folly  ;  something  like 
the  present  to  check  him  in  his  down-hill  road  to  ruin  and 
the  drunkard's  grave. 

He  was  almost  frenzied  to  hear  from  Dr.  Field,  that  Nat 
and  Alida  had  been  married  by  bis  own  father,  and  then  he 
made  a  full  confession  of  the  part  he  had  taken,  and  all 
that  he  knew  of  Nat's  first  marriage. 

"  Still,"  said  he,  "  Nat  might  have  lied  about  that,  and 
then  this  will  be  all  right,  for  I  know  that  Alida  loves  him 
better  than  any  other  person  on  earth,  and  she  is  a  good 
girl,  too  good  for  him." 

"  Let  us  act,  then,  upon  that  principle.  Do  not  mention 
a  word  to  any  living  being,  that  you  have  a  suspicion  of  a 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  195 

previous   marriage,  for   the   merest   hint  to  Alida   would 
embitter  her  life  for  ever." 

"  I  know  it  ;  but  what  are  we  to  do  ?  John  Longwood 
and  Scale  Williams  will  fairly  gloat  over  the  opportunity  of 
revenge  upon  the  poor  girl  ;  for  all  the  iniquity  of  this 
scheme  is  theirs,  though  I  do  not  excuse  myself  for  partici 
pating.  They  are  a  couple  of  heartless  villains.  When  it 
was  all  still  here  in  the  night,  I  could  hear  them  snoring 
away  as  though  they  were  sleeping  innocently  in  their  own 
beds  at  home,  while  I " 

"  Was  doing  just  what  you  will  look  back  to  with  plea 
sure — shedding  bitter  tears  of  sorrow  and  repentance." 

"  Yes,  for  which  I  thank  you  with  all  my  heart.  But  do 
you  think  you  can  get  me  out  of  limbo  as  easy  as  you  got 
us  in  ?" 

"  Without  a  doubt." 

"  Then  the  next  question  is,  how  shall  we  keep  Scale's 
and  John's  tongues  still  ?" 

The  doctor  dropped  his  head  in  his  hands,  and  sat 
absorbed  in  his  own  thoughts  about  two  minutes.  Then 
looked  up  with  a  smile  of  satisfaction,  and  said,  "  Yes,  that 
will  do." 

"  What  will  do,  doctor  ?" 

"  We  must  not  let  them  go  back.  You  shall  write  a 
letter,  which  I  will  take  care  to  have  handed  in  to  them  on 
the  point  of  a  bayonet  in  the  course  of  the  day.  In  that 
you  shall  state  that  your  father — call  him  the  old  man — 
and  Field  came  up  and  got  you  out,  but  that  you  have  got 
to  keep  dark  or  clear  out,  for  the  whole  secret  has  leaked 


196  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

oat,  and  if  they  come  back,  Field  swears  that  he  will  have 
you  all  sent  to  the  penitentiary  for  conspiracy,  to  get  Alida 
married  to  a  man  already  married,  or  else  punish  you  all  for 
a  worse  crime  ;  and  Nat  is  so  mad  at  the  failure,  that  he 
will  testify  against  you  ;  and  finally,  conclude,  by  an  offer  to 
bribe  the  sentinel  to  let  them  out.  Tell  them  you  will  get 
somebody  to  take  their  clothes  and  things  to  them,  at  some 
place  you  can  name,  and  for  them  to  keep  on  that  side  of 
the  line  until  they  can  get  away  entirely.  Tell  them,  also, 
to  write  to  you  at  Rochester,  New  York  ;  that  may  draw 
them  off  that  way,  or  at  any  rate,  make  them  think  you 
have  gone  there.  What. do  you  think  of  the  plan  ?" 

"  That  it  will  work  admirably.  If  I  had  a  small  sum  of 
money  to  enclose  to  them,  I  have  no  doubt  they  would  use 
it  to  put  themselves  out  of  the  way  of  danger,  for  they  are 
both  cowards." 

"  As  villains  generally  are.  Yery  well,  you  shall  have 
the  money.  And  now  I  will  hurry  to  the  commandant,  and 
make  my  arrangements.  Rig  yourself  up,  and  come  down 
to  Howell's  as  soon  as  your  door  is  set  open,  and  we  will 
get  our  breakfast  and  be  off,  for  we  have  a  good  deal  to  do 
to  accomplish  our  purposes  before  night." 

"  Is  my  father  at  Howell's  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Oh,  how  can  I  meet  him  with  all  this  guilt  upon  my 
conscience  ?" 

"Just  as  every  erring  son  should  meet  his  father — with 
most  sincere  repentance,  and  solemn  assurance  that  you 
will  reform,  and  with  his  aid,  that  you  will  lead  a  different 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GI-BLS.  197 

life  in  future.     How  your  good  old  father  will  rejoice — he 
will  kill  the  fatted  calf  when  his  prodigal  son  returns." 

"  Yes,  and  my  mother — oh  !  my  mother  never  shall  shed 
bitter  tears  again  over  her  miserable  son.  I  am  not  yet  quite 
lost.  I  have  been  blind,  but  my  eyes  are  opened,  and  I 
pray  God  they  may  remain  so  in  future." 


198  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


The  A  B  C's  of  a  state  prison  education — Who  taught  them — An  old  fashioned 
wedding  breakfast— Wine  refused  for  the  first  time — Its  effects — The  best  temper 
ance  sermon — Who  are  our  enemies — Lost  friends  found — A  runaway  party 
returned — "  Toasting  the  happy  pair,"  at  Deacon  Brandon's — Selecting  the 
beverage — The  distiller's  argument — A  short  sermon,  with  a  moral  application — 
Sowing  of  seed  that  has  produced  a  good  crop. 


THE  meeting  between  Blythe  and  his  father  may  be  more 
easily  imagined  than  described.  It  made  the  old  man's 
heart  so  glad  that  he  wept  freely,  but  not  bitter  tears  of 
sorrow,  as  he  had  often  done  over  the  failings  of  his  only 
child.  Little  did  he  think  that  he  taught  that  sou  to  get 
drunk,  as  surely  as  he  taught  him  his  A  B  C's.  The  sip- 
pings  from  his  own  mug  of  flip,  or  sweetened  toddy  ;  the 
frequent  half  glass  of  wine  at  a  wedding,  before  he  was  big 
enough  to  swallow  a  whole  one  ;  or  the  daily  drinks  from 
the  cider  mug,  were  so  many  lessons  of  that  "preparatory 
course,"  which  fitted  him  to  enter  upon  his  collegiate  one 
at  Deacon  Brandon's  distillery,  or  some  other  similar  insti 
tution,  where  young-  men  are  "  finished  off"  for  a  life  at  Sing 
Sing,  or  death  at  the  gallows. 

Blythe  met  his  cousin  Alida  with  a  blush,  as  he  thought 
of  the  mean  part  he  had  acted,  while  she  was  all  cheerful- 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  199 

ness  and  cordiality.  "  Ignorance  is  bliss,"  thought  he,  and 
while  it  is  so,  let  her  enjoy  it. 

At  the  first  opportunity  he  drew  Nat  aside,  and  made 
some  hasty  explanations  ;  telling  him  "  of  their  arrest  as 
spies,  but  hiding  the  fact  that  Dr.  Field  procured  it ;  and 
finally  urging  him  to  give  up  all  thoughts  of  Maria  Louise, 
and  become  a  sober  man,  a  good  husband  to  a  good,  loving 
wife,  and  settle  down,  and  be  steady  in  all  time  to  come." 
All  this  Nat  readily  promised — perhaps  intended  to  perform. 

It  was  at  a  somewhat  late  breakfast  hour,  when  the 
"  wedding  party "  assembled  in  the  little  parlor  of  Mrs. 
Howell,  around  a  table  covered  with  a  cloth  made  of  flax 
that  was  pulled,  rotted,  dressed,  spun,  wove,  and  bleached, 
by  the  mother — an  old-fashioned  New  England  mother — and 
her  daughters  ;  for,  notwithstanding  they  lived  on  the  north 
side  of  the  line,  they  were  true  Yankees,  and  with  an  eye 
to  business,  the  house,  a  portion  of  which  was  tavern,  and 
a  portion  store,  stood  so  that  the  line  of  45°  passed  through 
the  centre  of  the  rooms. 

Those  who  sip  a  little  tea  or  coffee,  and  eat  a  small  frag 
ment  of  dry  toast  for  breakfast,  may  cry,  "  how  vulgar,"  at 
an  exhibit  of  the  bill  of  fare  of  a  breakfast  party,  forty 
years  ago,  in  a  family  of  the  kind  I  have  indicated.  Let 
us  look  at  a  few  of  the  dishes.  Tea,  coffee,  rich  cream  and 
sugar,  and  a  great  mug  of  home  brewed  "  spring  beer,"  and 
a  pitcher  of  sweet  milk,  supplied  the  drinkables.  A  large 
dish  of  milk  toast  ;  another  of  hot  barley  short  cake  ;  a 
plate  of  white  and  light  wheat  flour  biscuit  ;  a  bread  tray 
full  of  rye  and  rye-and-Indian  bread,  with  no  less  than  three 


200  GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

kinds  of  loaf-cake,  and  a  dish  of  doughnuts  and  crullers, 
formed  the  catalogue  in  the  bread  line.  A  dish  of  venison, 
some  moose  steaks,  a  squirrel  pie,  and  some  ham  and  eggs, 
were  not  all  the  meats,  for  a  loin  of  cold  roast  veal  stood 
upon  a  side  table,  and  every  guest  in  turn  was  urged  to 
partake  of  every  dish.  Raspberry  preserve,  dried  raspberry 
pie,  raspberries  stewed,  were  the  fruits  most  in  use,  and 
very  good  they  were,  and  earnestly  the  lady  who  presided, 
urged  the  party  to  "  eat  a  little  with  some  cream,  just  to 
try  and  make  out  a  breakfast." 

When  all  had  eaten  to  a  surfeit,  at  a  sign  from  Howell, 
one  of  the  girls  sat  a  decanter  of  wine  before  Parson 
White,  while  the  others  cleared  away  the  plates,  and  placed 
wine  glasses  "  right  side  up "  before  each  one.  Parson 
White  filled  his  glass,  and  passed  the  bottle  to  the  next, 
with  the  remark,  "  Come,  fill  up  bumpers,  and  we  will  drink 
health  and  a  long  life  of  connubial  felicity  to  the  bride  and 
groom."  Howell  sat  next,  and  of  course  filled  up  his  own 
and  one  for  his  wife,  and  then  passed  it  to  his  daughters, 
who  followed  suit — they  did  not  know  that  they  could  do 
otherwise — they  had  never  seen  any  one  upon  such  an  occa 
sion  refuse  wine.  The  bottle  came  next  in  course  to  Dr. 
Field.  Alida  was  watching  him  closely,  almost  trembling 
with  anxiety  ;  but  he  did  not  observe  her,  though  every 
eye  at  the  table  did  observe  him  as  he  turned  his  glass 
bottom  up  and  passed  the  bottle  to  Blythe,  who  followed 
his  example.  The  next  was  Alida,  who  had  previously 
determined  to  refuse,  even  if  she  stood  alone.  She  was 
not  surprised  at  the  act  of  Dr.  Field — in  fact,  she  expected 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  201 

it,  but  she  could  not  understand  why  Blythe — perhaps  for 
the  .first  time  in  his  life — should  pass  the  bottle.     Nat  sat 
next,  at  her  left  hand,  and  usage  and  common  politeness 
required  that  she  should  hand  him  the  wine,  which  would  be 
an  invitation,  as  much  as  though  spoken,  to  drink  with  her. 
It  was  much  against  her  inclination  to  do  so,  but  she  felt 
constrained  to  obey  the  tyranny  of  custom,  rather  than  the 
monitor  within.      Nat  had  been  so  absorbed  in  his  own 
unpleasant  thoughts,  that  he  had  not  noticed  the  turning  of 
glasses.      He   had   been   thinking   of   the   pledge  he  was 
required  to  give  in  drinking  the  proposed  toast,  to  a  vow 
that  he  did  not  mean  to  keep,  and  of  the  mental  reserva 
tion  he  would  make  as  he  swallowed  the  potion.     He  took 
the  bottle,  and  was  about  to  fill  his  glass,  when  he  observed 
that  Alida's  was  empty,  and  reached  out  his  hand  to  turn 
and  fill  it.     She  placed  her  hand  on  the  glass  to  hold  it  in 
its  reversed  position.     He   then   saw   that   the   two  next 
glasses  were  both  upturned  in  the  same  way.     He  looked 
amazed,  and  put  down  the  decanter  without  filling  his  own. 
Parson  White  was  dumfounded.      If  one  of  his  own  mem 
bers  had  "  spoke  out  in  meeting  "  the  most  heterodox  doc 
trine,  even  if  it  had  been  an  avowal  of  belief  in  universal 
salvation,  he  would  not  have  been  more  surprised.     To  take 
wine  at  a  wedding  was  part  of  his  religion,  for  which  he 
thought  he  had  good  example  in  the  great  head  of  the 
church.     He  never  once  reflected   that   Christ   converted 
water  into  wine,  not  for  the  purpose  of  encouraging  its  exces 
sive  use,  but  to  show  those  present  his  power  to  work  mira 
cles.     Had  no  other  intoxicating  beverage  ever  been  intro- 

9* 


202  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

duced  into  use  but  such  wine  as  that  made  by  our  Saviour 
at  the  wedding,  it  would  not  now  be  necessary  for  his  fol 
lowers  to  abstain  from  its  use  upon  such  occasions,  "  for  con 
science  sake,"  because  their  example  may  lead  to  fatal  results 
in  creating  a  taste  in  some  of  the  guests  for  intoxicating 
beverages.  The  wine  of  Gallilee  was  the  pure  juice  of  the 
luxurious  grapes  of  that  country,  and  as  unlike  the  fashiona 
ble  drink  called  by  the  same  name  at  the  present  day,  as 
the  personage  who  made  wine  from  water,  is  unlike  him  that 
"holds  the  bottle  to  his  neighbor's  lips." 

"  I  do  not  understand  it,"  said  the  old  man  ;  "refuse  to 
drink  the  health  of  the  happy  pair — I  never  saw  the  like — 
never  heard  of  such  a  thing  among  friends."  No  doubt  he 
spoke  truly.  I  well  remember  when  a  couple  would  have 
thought  themselves  hardly  respectably  married  without 
wine  at  the  wedding  ;  and  would  have  felt  a  refusal 
to  drink  their  health  as  a  slight,  or  perhaps  an  insult 
too  great  to  be  readily  forgiven. 

"We  do  not  refuse,"  said  Dr.  Field,  "to  pledge  our 
selves  with  you  in  the  wish  for  long  life  and  happiness,  and 
true  faithful  love  to  each  other  every  day  of  the  life  which 
may  be  allotted  to  this  couple.  But,  parson,  we  are  sons 
and  daughters  of  Rechab — we  drink  no  wine." 

"  Not  even  a  little  for  the  stomach's  sake  ?" 

"  No  ;  but  for  the  sake  of  our  stomach,  and  all  the  other 
functions  of  mind  and  body,  and  particularly  for  conscience 
sake,  that  I  may  not  lay  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  a 
brother,  I  shall  abstain  from  wine." 

"  Oh,  if  that  is  it,"  said  Howell,  "  we  have  anything  else 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  203 

you  please.  Elta,  dear,  bring  the  doctor  anything  else  he 
will  have  from  the  bar.  What  shall  it  be,  doctor  ?" 

The  doctor  whispered  a  word  in  Elta's  ear,  and  she  went 
out  smiling,  saying  as  she  went  : 

"  You  shall  have  it,  doctor,  as  pure  as  ever  flowed  from 
the  crystal  fountain  of  the  rocks  of  our  own  Green  Moun 
tains." 

In  a  twinkling  she  was  back,  and  placed  by  the  doctor's 
right  hand  a  cut  glass  decanter,  so  clear  and  transparent 
that  it  seemed  empty,  until  he  turned  his  glass  and  poured 
it  full  of  the  translucid  liquid. 

"  If  we  may  drink  wine  because  Christ  made  it  from 
water,  how  much  more  then  should  we  drink  the  original, 
as  it  was  made  by  Him  who  created  both  land  and  sea,  and 
all  the  sweet  waters  of  our  mountain  springs.  I  will  pledge 
you  in  this  glass,  filled  with  a  beverage  made  by  God  for 
the  use  of  man,  uncontaminated  by  any  of  the  arts  or  con 
trivances  of  the  devil,  to  win  souls  from  the  path  that  leads 
men  to  the  pure  waters  of  life." 

As  he  finished,  he  passed  the  decanter  to  Blythe,  saying 
as  he  did  so,  "  in  this  we  can  drink  joy  to  the  wedded  pair. 
Will  you  join  me  ?" 

"  I  will,  with  all  my  soul.     And  you,  cousin  ?" 

"  Most  gladly.'' 

"  And  I,"  "  and  I,"  "  and  I,"  went  round  the  table. 

"  Howell,"  said  Parson  White,  "  take  off  the  wine,  and 
give  us  all  clean  glasses.  The  doctor  has  preached  us  a 
better  sermon  than  I  ever  preached  in  my  life.  Let  us 


204  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

make  a  profitable  application.  Here,  in  this  best  of  all 
beverages,  we  will  drink  long  life,  health,  aud  happiness  to 
our  young  married  friends." 

"  And  success  to  the  cause  of  cold  water,"  added  the 
doctor. 

"  Amen  and  amen.  And  now  may  God's  blessing  be 
with  us  all  for  ever.  Now  let  us  rise  up,  and  go  forth. 
Howell,  let  us  have  our  horses." 

Dr.  Field  whispered  a  word  to  Howell,  and  directly  after, 
when  Nat  called  for  the  bill,  he  was  surprised  to  hear  that 
it  was  paid,  but  by  who,  or  why,  he  might  as  well  inquire 
of  the  "  know-nothings." 

While  the  company  were  getting  ready,  Dr.  Field  took 
the  opportunity  to  run  over  and  see  his  little  patient,  and 
was  delighted — but  not  half  as  much  as  the  mother — to 
find  that  the  medicine  had  produced  a  soothing  effect,  and 
brought  out  the  disease  handsomely,  producing  a  gentle 
perspiration  and  quiet  asleep.  The  mother  could  hardly 
express  her  gratitude  sufficiently  to  satisfy  herself.  The 
doctor  gave  some  further  directions,  and  particularly  for 
her  to  go  or  send  to  Howell's  for  any  necessary  for  her  own 
or  the  child's  comfort,  until  she  was  quite  recovered.  As 
he  went  away  she  stood  at  the  window  of  the  little  room 
looking  after  him,  until  she  thought  aloud. 

"  And  this  is  one  of  our  enemies — this  is  one  of  the  peo 
ple  we  are  at  war  with — this  is  a  fair  specimen,  so  far  as  I 
have  been  able  to  see,  of  a  nation  whom  our  rulers  would 
teach  us  to  hate.  God  help  me  to  teach  my  child  to  love 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  205 

them  ;  and  oh,  may  the  time  soon  come  when  we  may  live 
among  them,  and  be  not  only  with  them,  but  of  them,  as 
members  of  the  same  family." 

And  may  the  time  soon  come  when  all  nations  shall  be 
at  peace,  and  wars  be  no  more. 

The  wedding  cavalcade  made  quite  an  imposing  appear 
ance  as  it  emerged  from  the  woods  on  the  brow  of  the 
hill  that  overlooked  the  valley — a  valley  which  would  have 
been  as  peaceful  as  it  was  pretty,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the 
smoke  of  one  fire  that  spread  its  black  pall  over  the  log 
cabin  homes  of  its  inhabitants.  . 

It  was  full  time  that  the  missing  part  of  the  population 
had  returned  ;  for  a  considerable  commotion,  and  strange 
surmise?  were  beginning  to  affect  some  of  those  left  behind. 
Mrs.  Blythe  sat  up  working  or  rather  kept  on  working,  till  so 
late  an  hour  that  she  could  hot  send  to  see  why  Alida  did  not 
return,  and  finally  concluded  that  she  had  stopped  at  her 
uncle's,  and  they  had  persuaded  her  to  stay  all  night.  Conso 
ling  herself  with  this  hope,  she  fell  into  a  sort  of  uneasy 
slumber,  from  which  she  was  awakened  by  a  loud  rapping  at 
the  door.  Of  course  her  first  thought — for  so  runs  a  mother's 
thought — was  that  something  had  happened  to  Alida,  and 
she  started  up  in  hurried  alarm,  to  inquire  what  it  was. 

"  Has  he  been  here  V  said  the  voice  at  the  door. 

"  No — is  she  well — where  is  she  T' 

"  Oh,  she  is  well  enough — at  home  at  our  house — but  it 
is  him — has  he  been  here  T' 

"  No,  I  have  not  seen  him  for  a  day  or  two." 

The  voice  at  the  door  came  from  Parson  White's  hired 


206  GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

man,  and  he  was  talking  of  him  and  the  old  lady,  while  Mrs. 
Blythe,  was  only  thinking  of  Alida  and  Nat.  Satisfied  that 
she  was  at  "  our  house,"  all  safe,  she  went  back  to  her  bed, 
and  slept  sound  till  morning  ;  while  the  man  went  over  to 
the  deacon's  to  make  the  same  inquiry,  with  the  same  suc 
cess.  He  then  thought  that  he  would  go  down  to  the  old 
still-house,  and  see  if  Blythe  was  there,  and  tell  him  that  his 
father  was  missing.  The  man  in  attendance  told  him  that 
"  neither  Blythe  nor  any  of  the  boys,  had  been  there  that 
day — that  Nat  was  there  just  at  dark,  and  told  him  to  see 
to  things,  for  he  should  not  be  at  home  that  night." 

The  man  then  went  home,  got  a  lantern  and  went  out  to 
the  barn,  and  found  the  parson's  mare,  and  Blythe's  colt, 
both  gone.  The  parson  went  off  in  such  a  hurry,  or  else 
expected  to  be  back  again  so  soon,  that  he  forgot  to  tell  any 
body  where  he  was  going.  Mrs.  White  spent  a  very  uncom 
fortable  night,  and  next  morning,  as  her  husband  did  not 
make  his  appearance  before  breakfast,  she  started  the  man 
out  again  to  look  all  over  the  settlement.  It  was  soon 
ascertained  that  Parson  White  was  not  the  only  one  miss 
ing  ;  but  whether  they  had  gone  to  take  Canada,  or  had 
themselves  been  taken  by  "  the  British,"  was  not  so 
clear.  Somebody — that  very  knowing  chap  in  all  commu 
nities — somebody  said  that  Dr.  Field  was  about  there  last 
night,  and  of  course  then  somebody  else  said  that  "  no  doubt 
they  had  all  gone  off  on  a  smuggling  expedition,  together." 

"  What,  Parson  White  !" 

"  Yes — why  not  the  parson  and  his  son  ? — we  all  know 
how  it  is  with  the  deacon  and  his  son." 


GREE N -M 0 U NT AI N     GIRLS.  20t 

"  Well,  but  Alida  Ely  the  is  missing  too." 

"  Xo  matter — she  is  one  of  the  family.  Perhaps  she  is 
out  with  the  doctor  again,  watching  Smuggler's  Bridge.  You 
can't  always  tell  a  bad  egg  till  you  break  it." 

"  Xo,  nor  a  good  one  before  it  is  laid." 

Such  was  the  effect  produced  by  this  "  mysterious  disap 
pearance,"  that  before  they  came  in  sight  as  they  emerged 
from  the  woods,  nearly  all  the  men  women  and  children  were 
on  the  qui  vive,  so  that  by  the  time  of  their  arrival,  they  had 
an  extemporaneous  reception  party,  of  a  larger  and  more 
varied  character,  than  usually  falls  to  the  lot  of  runaway 
matches. 

Such  was  the  joy  at  seeing  all  parties  safely  returned,  that 
the  widow  forgot  to  scold  her  daughter  for  getting  married, 
in  a  way  so  contrary  to  the  formalities  of  society,  in  staid 
New  England  families  ;  and  the  deacon  consoled  himself, 
and  "  sister  Blythe,"  with  the  reflection  and  application, 
that  as  all  matches  are  made  in  heaven,  it  was  quite  out  of 
the  question  for  weak  mortals  to  oppose  its  will. 

Mrs.  White  was  quite  happy  to  think  it  was  no  worse 
with  her  old  man,  but  her  greatest  cause  of  happiness  was 
still  in  store  for  her. 

As  the  meeting  of  the  lost  party,  and  those  about  to 
start  out  in  pursuit,  took  place  near  Deacon  Brandon's,  all 
hands  were  invited  into  the  house,  to  "  toast  the  new 
couple,"  a  custom  that  has  wrecked  the  happy  prospects  of 
many  a  wedded  pair,  upon  the  barren  shores  of  the  voyage  . 
of  life,  ending  at  the  drunkard's  home. 

"  Most  willingly,   upon    one    condition,"    said    Parson 


208  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

White,  and  that  is,  that  you  give  us  the  same  kiud  of  liquor 
that  we  have  already  drunk  for  that  purpose,  and  no  other. 
Do  you  accept  the  terms  ?" 

"  Certainly.     If  I  have  it." 

"  Yery  well,  remember  ;  I  know  you  have  it." 

As  it  was  neither  breakfast  nor  dinner-time,  the  table  was 
set  out  in  the  big  room,  loaded  with  a  profusion  of  eatables, 
and  decorated  with  decanters  of  rum,  brandy,  wine  and 
whisky,  the  latter  of  his  own  manufacture,  both  new  and 
old  ;  and  then  all  hands  were  invited  to  walk  up  and  help 
themselves. 

"  But  first,  Brother  White,  will  you  ask  a  blessing  ?" 

"  No,  because  you  have  not  kept  your  word  ;  you 
promised  that  we  should  have  only  one  sort  of  liquor." 

"  Well,  I  did  not  know  which  sort  you  would  choose,  and 
so  I  put  all  sorts  before  you  ;  now  make  your  selection,  and 
we  will  put  all  the  rest  away." 

"  Will  you  lock  it  in  that  closet,  and  give  me  the  key  ?" 

The  deacon  and  some  of  the  company  began  to  think 
that  the  old  parson  had  drank  enough  already,  he  was  "so 
funny." 

"  Certainly  I  will.     Which  goes  first  ?'• 

"This,"  said  the  parson,  holding  up  the  brandy,  "is  a 
fiery  foreign  liquor,  only  fit  for  compounding  the  doctor's 
tinctures  ;  to  him  I  consign  it  ;  as  I  have  no  doubt  he  knows 
how  it  came  here,  he  will  know  how  to  get  it  away." 

"  If  I  had  any  hand  in  getting  it  over  the  line,"  said 
Dr.  F.,  "I  will  take  care  that  it  never  gets  me  under  it.  I 
shall  label  it  'poison,'  only  to  be  taken  upon  the  advice  of 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN1      GIRLS.  209 

the  physician  ;  one  who  knows  enough  not  to  take  his  own 
medicine.  It  ranks  among  the  poisonous  drugs  ;  and  thus 
I  consign  it  to  the  deacon's  medicine  chest." 

There  was  a  roar  of  merriment  at  these  sallies  of  wit ;  both 
at  the  allusion  of  the  parson  to  the  fact  of  the  brandy 
having  been  smuggled  over  the  line  by  the  doctor,  and  at 
his  allusion  to  its  power  to  get  him  under  ;  and  the  conver 
sion  of  it  into  medicine,  "  to  be  only  taken  when  well  shaken." 

"This,"  said  the  parson,  taking  up  the  rum,  "is  a  hypocrite. 
It  is  soft  and  smooth  to  the  taste,  insinuating  itself  into  the 
best  of  families,  only  to  breed  discord,  misery,  wretchedness, 
just  as  hypocrisy  does  everywhere." 

"  For  which,  I  will  consign  it  to  solitary  confinement  in  the 
guard-house,"  said  the  doctor,  with  a  well  understood  look 
at  Blythe. 

"  And  this,"  taking  up  two  black  bottles  of  whisky,  "is  a 
home-made  devil,  but  none  the  less  a  fiery  one,  and  whether 
its  parent  was  wheat,  rye,  corn,  or  potatoes,  the  child  is  a 
miserable  bastard,  deformed  in  body  and  wicked  in  soul  ; 
it  is  an  evil  spirit  from  an  accursed  place,  from  which  we 
derive  no  good.  And  since  my  eyes  have  been  opened,  as 
they  have  been  this  day,  by  the  aid  of  this  good  physician, 
and  this  his  learned  student,"  putting  his  hand  upon  Alida's 
head,  "may  God  ever  bless  her  ;  and  this  neophyte,"  taking 
Blythe  by  the  hand,  "  may  God  protect  him  and  keep  him  to 
his  present  resolution,  never,  to  touch,  taste,  or  handle  the 
unclean  thing  ;  but  lest  he  may  be  corrupted  of  evil  associa 
tions,  and,  as  we  all  often  are,  tempted  of  the  devil,  if  we 
allow  him  in  our  company,  shut  him  up,  doctor,  shut  him  up 


210  GREEN-  MOUNTAIN 


in  a  dark  prison  ;  and  would  to  heaven  that  we  could  chain 
him,  and  all  his  kith  and  kin,  out  of  the  sight  of  men,  for  a 
thousand  years." 

"  And  that  all  the  blind  eyes  in  our  country  could  be 
made  to  see  as  you  have,"  said  the  doctor,  "  and  as  they 
would  if  I  could  thus  put  the  cause  of  their  blindness  out  of 
sight." 

Never  in  all  the  preaching  of  their  old  minister  had  those 
present  heard  such  sermons  before.  At  first,  they  thought 
it  was  only  one  of  his  common  acts  of  facetia,  but  they 
began  now  to  feel  that  he  was  in  earnest,  and  intended  to 
impress  upon  his  auditors  the  first  lesson  in  the  right  direc 
tion  of  temperance  that  he  ever  gave  them  ;  notwithstand 
ing  he  had  always  been  crying  out  against  the  horrid  sin  of 
drunkenness,  while  he  was  as  blind  as  a  bat  to  the  true 
cause  of  the  dreadful  disease.  He  had,  as  he  said,  "  for  the 
first  time  in  his  life,  had  his  eyes  opened  that  day,  to  see 
that  one  distillery  in  a  neighborhood  would  harbor  more 
devils  than  a  dozen  pious,  good  ministers  could  drive  out,  by 
constant  exorcisms  and  exhortations  against  the  sin,  folly, 
and  wickedness  of  indulging  in  the  use  of  its  products,  to  such 
a  degree  as  to  render  the  person  who  swallows  such  a  deadly 
poison  incapable  of  self-control  of  his  appetite,  until  he 
finally  falls  below  the  level  of  a  beast.  He  had  never 
thought  before  how  difficult,  nay,  utterly  impossible,  it  is  to 
draw  the  line  between  moderate  drinking  and  drunkenness. 
Although  not  yet  a  teetotaler,  he  had  resolved  to  give  up 
his  favorite  mug  of  flip." 

Having   disposed  of  all  the  ardent  spirits,  the  guests 


GREEN-MOUNTAI X     GIRLS  211 

generally  thought  that  he  had  at  last  arrived  at  the  "  one 
kind  of  liquor,"  which  he  stipulated  should  alone  be  used  to 
drink  the  new  couple's  health,  and  their  happy  reconcilia 
tion  to  their  parents,  after  their  clandestine  marriage. 
Wine,  of  course,  could  not,  they  thought,  be  dispensed  with 
at  a  wedding.  They  were  mistaken. 

"  What  is  this  ?"  said  Parson  White,  taking  up  a  decan 
ter  of  sparkling  old  Madeira. 

The  deacon  spoke  up  now  quickly,  as  he  was  glad  to  turn 
the  current  that  had  been  coursing  through  his  mind  for  a 
few  minutes  to  a  more  pleasant  channel. 

"  That  is  pure  old  Madeira  ;  just  such  as  we  use  upon 
our  communion  table." 

41  And  there  let  it  be  used  as  an  emblem  of  Him  we  wor 
ship.  Here  it  cannot  be  drank  to-day,  for  this  is  a  cold- 
water  wedding  ;  the  first,  it  is  true,  that  ever  I  officiated 
at,  or  witnessed,  but  I  hope  it  may  not  be  the  last  ;  for  as 
Dr.  Field  says,  while  the  rich  use  wine,  the  poor  will  use 
rum,  and  the  poorer  use  cheaper  whisky  ;  and  perhaps 
upon  the  very  altar  which  should  be  consecrated  to  eternal 
affection,  we  plant  the  seed  of  dire  disease,  wretchedness 
and  woe,  to  the  wife  and  her  offspring — perhaps  to  both 
parents  and  children." 

Deacon  Brandon  had  listened  and  laughed  at  his  pro 
scription  of  all  the  other  liquors,  but  he  had  no  .idea  of 
having  his  good  old  Madeira  treated  in  the  same  way. 

"What !"  thought  he.  "not  drink  wine  at  my  son's  wed 
ding  !"  It  was  an  unheard  of  outrage  upon  good  old  ortho 
dox  custom.  Besides,  where  was  this  kind  of  preaching 


212  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

going  to  lead  the  flock  ?  "  What  if  all  should  conclude  to 
drink  nothing  but  cold  water  ?"  It  was  not  to  be  tolerated 
—  it  was  an  infamous  heterodox  doctrine,  calculated  to 
take  the  bread  out  of  his  mouth  ;  destructive  to  his  dearest 
interests  ;  something  that  he  felt  it  his  Christian  duty  to 
oppose.  It  would  stop  his  distillery,  and  every  other  one, 
and  deprive  the  people  of  a  market  for  their  produce. 
"  Look  at  the  thousands  of  dollars  that  I  pay  them  to  keep 
my  distillery  in  operation,"  thought  he,  but  he  did  not 
think  of  the  thousands  that  they  paid  him  for  converting 
food  into  poison. 

He  therefore  ventured  to  put  in  a  plea  for  the  wine, 
which,  though  not  his  own  manufacture,  was  a  legitimate 
product  of  the  old  still-house  ;  for  he  had  smuggled  the 
whisky  into  Canada,  and  exchanged  it  for  wine,  and  smug 
gled  that  back  again.  He  had  a  ready  salvo  to  his  con 
science  for  this,  in  the  plea  that  wine  must  be  had  for 
communion  service,  and  therefore  he  provided  a  little  for 
that,  and  weddings,  and  any  other  purpose  for  which  his 
neighbors  would  buy  it  at  three  hundred  per  cent,  profit. 

"  But  you  will  not  send  away  the  wine,  Brother  White  ; 
you  know  Christ  approved  of  wine  at  weddings,  and  the 
good  book  says,  '  take  a  little  wine  for  the  stomach  sake.' " 

"  '  And  thine  often  infirmities,' "  added  the  parson.  "  Yes, 
I  know  it,  but  it  does  not  tell  us  to  take  it  when  we  are 
well,  until  we  create  infirmities.  The  good  book  also  says, 
'  wine  is  a  mocker — it  biteth  like  a  serpent,  it  stingeth  like 
an  adder — men  drink  wine  earned  by  their  slanders — 
(smuggling,"  he  added,  in  a  whisper  to  Field,  but  the- 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  213 

deacon  caught  the  word  and  bit  his  lip)  " '  their  wine  is  the 
poison  of  dragons,  and  the  cruel  venom  of  asps — they  eat 
the  bread  of  wickedness,  and  drink  the  wine  of  violence. 
In  the  wine-cup  of  the  hand  of  him  who  maketh  men  drunk, 
the  wine  is  red — it  is  full  of  mixture — take  it  away — this  is 
red — it  giveth  its  color  in  the  cup — it  will  make  men 
drunk.'  Now  give  us  the  clear  cold  water,  emblem  of 
purity,  God's  best  gift  to  thirsty  mortals,  and  we  will 
drink  joy,  hope,  love,  happiness,  and  long  life  to  our  new 
married  young  friends,"  and  woe  unto  him  that  giveth  his 
neighbor  drink,  and  putteth  the  bottle  to  him,  and  maketh 
him  drunken — for  the  drunkard  and  the  glutton  shall  come 
to  poverty — and  for  the  wickedness  of  making  men  drunk, 
thou  shalt  be  laughed  to  scorn  aud  held  in  derision — thou 
shalt  be  filled  with  drunkenness  and  sorrow — with  the  cup 
of  astonishment  and  desolation." 

"  Does  he  mean  me  ?"  thought  Deacon  Brandon.  "  I 
could  strangle  the  old  hypocrite,  telling  everybody  else  not 
to  drink  anything,  while  he  will  guzzle  it  down  himself.  I 
cannot  hold  in  much  longer." 

"  Therefore,"  continued  the  minister,  "  I  will  say  to  those 
who  spend  their  substance  for  strong  drink  :  Wherefore  do 
ye  spend  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread  ?  And  your 
labor  for  that  which  satisfieth  not  ?  Now  hearken  dilgently 
unto  me,  and  eat  ye  that  which  is  good,  and  let  your  soul 
delight  itself  in  fatness." 

Year  after  year  had  his  auditors  listened  to  his  sermons, 
but  never  before  to  one  like  this.  Unlike  those  of  the  Sab 
bath,  this  had  no  tendency  to  make  any  one  drowsy  ;  but 


214  GREEN- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

never  did  Deacon  Brandon,  while  striving  to  keep  his  eyes 
open,  for  appearance  sake,  feel  half  as  anxious  for  the  amen, 
as  he  did  now.  This  new  doctrine,  this  sadden  conversion 
of  his  old  pastor,  did  not  suit  him  ;  every  word  was  a  stab 
under  the  fifth  rib ;  every  quotation  from  the  Bible,  and  a 
good  many  other  texts  that  these  called  to  mind,  went 
straight  down  into  his  conscience,  and  rankled  there  like 
the  bitterness  of  wormwood.  It  was  too  much  for  his 
equanimity,  adept  as  he  was  in  all  the  arts  of  hypocrisy  ; 
and  when  Parson  White  poured  out  his  glass  full  of  the 
pure  spring  water,  and  said  :  "  Come,  Deacon,  let  us  drink 
the  health  of  the  young  couple,"  he  replied  testily — "  Xo, 
if  I  am  not  to  be  allowed  to  drink  what  I  please  in  my  own 
house,  I  won't  drink  at  all.  Boys,  if  you  want  to  eat  or 
drink  any  of  that  trash,  you  are  welcome  to,  but  if  you  don't, 
come  along  with  me  to  the  cellar  kitchen,  and  let  us  see 
what  we  can  find  better;  it  ain't  all  locked  up  in  that  closet." 
Nearly  half  of  the  male  portion  of  the  company  followed 
the  Deacon,  while  several  of  those  who  remained,  cast  fur. 
tive  glances  at  the  closet,  and  then  at  Parson  White's 
pocket,  which  held  the  key.  It  was  too  great  an  innovation 
upon  the  ancient  custom  of  wine  at  a  wedding,  for  them  to 
bear  with  a  good  grace  ;  it  was  an  encroachment  upon  the 
rights  and  privileges  of  every  member  of  good  society,  and 
they  predicted  it  was  sowing  seed  which  would  produce  a 
"  thistle  crop,"  and  would  not  be  submitted  to,  without  a 
few  murmurs  of  dissatisfaction.  Several  pious  old  ladies, 
<k  didn't  see  what  had  got  into  the  minister,  for  their  part 
they  couldn't  see  any  harm  in  a  glass  of  wine." 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  215 

Alida's  eyes  fairly  sparkled  with  delight.  Dr.  Field  pon 
dered  upon  the  influence  that  a  single  individual  is  capable 
of  exerting  for  good,  and  thought,  "  what  a  lump  a  little 
leaven  hath  leavened."  Blythe  foresaw  efficient  aid  to  help 
him  in  his  new  resolution,  for  his  mother  never  was  more 
happy  in  her  life.  Mrs.  Blythe  tried  to  be  cheerful,  but  to 
a  close  observer,  it  would  have  been  evident  that  her  soul  was 
not  in  this  marriage.  She  had  opposed  it  as  long  as  it  was 
of  any  use  to  do  so,  and  had  now  wisely  determined  to  give 
it  her  approval  ;  yet  a  gloomy  foreboding  of  evil  hung  upon 
her  mind  with  the  tenacity  of  the  nightmare.  Mrs.  Bran 
don  was  one  of  that  class  of  good  pious  souls,  who  think 
whatever  the  minister  says  and  does  is  right,  and  therefore, 
she  most  heartily  approved  of  the  present  disposition  of  the 
liquors  ;  and  would  have  given  an  equal  approval  six  hours 
afterwards  if  Parson  White  had  called  for  his  usual  mug  of 
flip.  Xat  looked  ahead  to  a  pecuniary  object  he  had  in 
view,  and  floated  in  the  stream  that  carried  him  nearest  to 
the  port  he  was  sailing  for.  In  the  meantime,  as  the  loud 
laugh  of  those  in  the  kitchen  came  up  to  his  ear,  he  wished 
himself  among  those  who  had  something  besides  cold  water 
to  wash  down  the  cakes  and  pie,  and  make  the  heart  glad 
— and  the  brain  mad,  he  might  have  added. 

As  soon  as  Dr.  Field  had  seen  the  experiment  of  a  wed 
ding  without  wine  a  successful  operation,  he  reminded  Blythe 
of  the  necessity  of  their  absence,  to  accomplish  the  work 
laid  out  in  the  morning.  Yes,  this  was  a  wedding  without 
wine  ;  the  first  ever  celebrated  in  that  community  ;  and  to 
some  of  those  present  it  gave  much  satisfaction,  but  to  a 


216  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

majority,  it  was  a  new  era  for  which  they  were  not  prepared ; 
while  to  others  it  was  "  an  interference  with  their  dearest 
rights," — "  A  mixing  up  of  church  matters  with  things  that 
the  parson  had  no  business  with," — "  The  idea  of  prescribing 
what  we  shall  drink  upon  such  occasions  " — and  other  simi 
lar  expressions  were  whispered  in  the  upper  room,  and 
talked  out  in  full  in  the  lower  one  ;  for  there  they  had  the 
countenance  of  Deacon  Brandon,  who  declared  that  "  things 
had  come  to  a  pretty  pass,  when  he  could  not  treat  his 
neighbors,  without  the  interference  of  such  fellows  as  Dr. 
Field." 

He  meant  Parson  White,  for  in  truth  he  alone  had  inter 
fered,  but  he  was  too  popular  among  the  people — it  would 
not  answer  to  attack  him,  though  he  felt  it  in  his  heart. 

It  was  the  beginning  of  a  feud  in  society  which  never 
healed.  It  was  God  and  his  minister,  and  such  of  the 
church  as  could  listen  to  the  advocates  of  temperance,  as 
they  depicted  the  evils  of  drinking,  upon  one  side,  and  the 
devil  and  his  distillers,  and  their  disciples,  upon  the  other 
side.  For  forty  years  it  was  a  hard  fight.  The  statute 
book  of  Yermont  shows  which  finally  conquered.  The 
devil,  distillers,  disciples  and  whisky  have  all  been  cast  out 
— religion  and  temperance  reign  triumphant.  A  wedding 
without  wine,  however  rare  in  1814,  is  not  a  thing  to  be 
wondered  at  in  1854. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  217 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Absence  from  home,  and  false  excuses — Borrowing  money  and  false  securities — 
Another  cattle-drove,  and  another  trick  of  the  smugglers — A  false-hearted  hus 
band,  gone  never  to  return — How  to  borrow  money — A  long  letter,  which  the 
reader  will  not  wish  a  line  shorter — Michael  in  his  new  home,  and  new  capacity 
— More  influence  in  the  right  direction — Rum  banished  through  Michael's  exam 
ple,  from  another  house — A  long  story  of  a  short  sleigh-ride  on  Lake  Champlain 
— The  white  phantom — A  race  for  life — Death  wins — The  shot — The  scream,  and 
death  of  the  smugglers— The  lost  man  on  the  ice — "  Oh  let  me  die,  my  wife  and 
child  have  perished  " — Magnetic  communications  through  the  night  air — The 
arrival — The  glowing  kitchen  fire — Old  acquaintances — Wonder  succeeds  wonder 
—The  P.  S.  of  the  letter,  contains  the  nub  of  the  story. 

ABOUT  two  months  after  the  wedding,  Nat  had,  or  pre 
tended  to  have,  business  in  Canada,  and  although  he  said'  it 
would  not  take  him  over  a  week,  he  remained  away  upwards 
of  two  months,  and  when  he  returned,  his  wife  thought  that 
he  did  not  give  a  very  good  reason  for  his  absence,  or  seem 
quite  as  much  rejoiced  to  get  back  again  as  she  could  have 
desired.  He  told  her,  however,  that  he  had  met  with  such 
a  chance  for  a  speculation,  if  he  only  had  the  necessary 
amount  of  money.  For  the  first  time,  he  now  hinted  that 
he  should  like  to  have  the  disposal  of  Alida's  inheritance, 
and  with  it  he  was  stlre  to  make  a  fortune. 

"  But  you  know,"  she  said  to  him,  "  that  we  agreed  to 
pay  that  to  mother  for  the  farm." 

10 


218  GREEN -MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

"  Yes,  but  I  can  make  another  thousand  with  it,  just  as 
well  as  not,  before  I  do  that.  You  had  better  go  with  me 
next  week,  and  we  will  get  it,  and  as  soon  as  I  double  it, 
I  will  pay  the  thousand  over  to  her." 

He  continued  to  press  the  matter  so  close,  that  after  a 
few  days  parrying  the  subject,  she  at  length  had  to  tell  him. 
the  fact  of  her  paying  it  over,  or  rather  transferring  the 
certificates  to  her  mother,  and  to  her  he  would  have  to 
apply  if  he  obtained  it,  as  it  was  no  longer  under  her  con 
trol.  A  bitter  curse  was  upon  the  very  tip  of  his  tongue, 
but  his  lips  were  compressed  with  passion,  and  his  natural 
cunning  came  to  his  aid,  and  he  replied  : 

"  Oh,  very  well,  that  is  all  right.  I  suppose  she  has  no 
use  for  it,  and  as  the  papers  for  the  farm  are  not  made  out, 
she  has  the  security  in  her  own  hands,  and  can  let  me  have 
the  money  just  as  well  as  not." 

Mrs.  Ely  the,  however,  suggested  "  that  Nat  should  get  his 
father  to  become  security,  and  then  she  would  let  him  have 
it."  She  did  not  believe  that  the  old  deacon  would  do 
it,  as  he  was  very  close  and  careful  about  money  matters. 
His  father  at  this  time  was  away,  buying  another  drove  of 
cattle,  and  as  he  had  become  so  bitter  against  Field  since 
his  advocacy  of  temperance,  be  would  not,  as  he  did 
formerly,  unite  with  him,  and  let  him  manage  the  whole 
business,  by  which  they  had  made  large  sums  of  money,  but 
determined  to  go  alone,  and,  as  will  be  seen,  with  just  such 
a  result  as  often  falls  to  the  lot  of  those  who  undertake  a 
business  they  know  nothing  about.  There  was  nothing 
for  Nat  to  do  then  but  to  wait  the  deacon's  return  from  the 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  219 

south,  where  he  was  buying  his  beeves,  and  for  which  he 
had  mortgaged  his  farm  and  everything  that  he  possessed 
in  the  world,  so  that  the  success  or  failure  of  that  single 
enterprise,  would  make  him  rich  or  a  bankrupt.  If  the 
widow  Blythe  had  known  this  fact,  she  might  have  thought 
that  Deacon  Brandon's  bond,  as  security  for  Nat,  would 
jiot  be  quite  as  good  as  the  money  in  bank.  As  winter  had 
now  set  in,  it  was  uncertain  when  his  father  would  return. 
Nat  took  the  opportunity  to  pay  his  Canada  wife  another 
visit ;  telling  Alida  that  it  would  perhaps  be  for  his  interest 
to  remain  till  spring.  He  was  very  sorry  to  do  it,  but  it 
was  necessary,  on  account  of  that  great  speculation,  to  get 
the  parties  to  wait  until  he  could  raise  the  money.  He 
appeared  so  candid  about  it,  that  she  really  regretted 
having  taken  the  advice  of  Dr.  Field,  and  thus  putting  it 
out  of  her  power  to  give  him  the  money  at  once,  and  she 
was  quite  out  of  patience  with  her  mother  to  think  that  she 
was  so  very  particular.  But  Mrs.  Blythe  thought  Nat  had 
much  better  quit  his  speculations,  and  go  to  work  ;  and  ' 
besides,  she  could  not  help  observing  that  much  as  he  pro 
fessed  to  have  quit  drinking,  it  was  profession  only. 

To  Maria  Louise,  he  said,  whenever  he  left  her  to  visit  his 
other  wife,  that  he  had  a  good  deal  of  unsettled  business, 
and  particularly  a  thousand  dollars  claim,  that  he  had  to 
watch  very  close,  and  even  then  feared  that  he  would  lose  it. 
No  doubt  of  that.  He  had  reason  to  fear  every  leaf  that 
stirred  would  expose  his  villainy,  and  then  he  most  surely 
would  lose  that  particular  sum.  It  was,  perhaps,  through 
fear,  that  he  remained  so  much  of  the  time  away.  Soon 


220  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

after  he  left  the  last  time,  his  father  had  arrived  with  his 
cattle,  and  as  usual,  the  whole  drove  had  been  stolen,  and 
driven  off  to  Canada  ;  but  as  the  trick  of  putting  them  in 
pasture  had  been  practised  so  often  as  to  be  a  little  stale, 
some  other  one  had  to  be  contrived  ;  so  the  drove  was 
started  off  towards  the  Connecticut  river,  in  charge  of  a 
United  States  "acting  commissary"  as  he  called  himself, 
while  publicly  making  the  bargain,  and  giving  drafts  upon 
the  treasury  for  the  drove.  The  trick  was  cutely  done, 
and  the  customs  officers  were  also  "  done."  They  knew  that 
Field  and  the  deacon  had  fallen  out,  and  did  not  suspect 
the  latter.  If-  the  doctor  had  been  engaged,  no  device 
would  have  prevented  their  suspicions,  and  they  would  have 
seized  them  upon  the  slightest  grounds,  upon  a  charge  of 
intent  to  supply  the  enemy  with  provisions.  Whether  the 
drove  went  to  the  little  garrison  on  the  Connecticut  river, 
or  to  a  larger  one  in  Canada,  Deacon  Brandon  did  not  feel 
bound  to  inquire,  and  perhaps  none  of  the  customs  officers 
would  have  taken  that  trouble,  if  the  deacon  had  not  been 
reported  among  the  missing  the  next  morning.  They  then 
took  the  cattle  trail,  and  followed  it  about  five  miles  on  the 
road  towards  the  river,  where  it  turned  into  the  woods,  and 
at  a  short  distance  struck  a  path  that  led  directly  towards 
the  line.  It  was  too  late  to  follow,  but  they  determined  to 
watch  every  movement  of  Nat  and  his  father,  or  any  one 
connected  with  them  in  any  way,  to  see  that  the  proceeds  of 
the  cattle  should  not  come  back  in  any  tangible  shape  without 
a  seizure.  The  absence  of  Scale  Williams  and  John  Long- 
wood,  and  Nat's  frequent  and  prolonged  visits  to  Canada, 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  221 

and  this  last  operation  were  all  supposed  to  be  connected,  par 
ticularly  as  Nat  talked  about  what  a  speculation  he  was  going 
to  make,  which  the  government  party,  as  they  were  called, 
fully  believed  meant  a  big  dash  at  smuggling,  before  peace, 
which  began  to  be  talked  about.  Everybody  said,  and 
Alida  had  no  doubt  of  the  fact,  that  Nat's  absence  had 
something  to  do  with  this  last  great  cattle  smuggle.  It 
was  this  belief  that  made  her  rest  so  easy.  She  had  no 
suspicions  of  the  true  cause  of  his  long,  long  absence.  The 
snow  was  almost  gone  when  he  returned  ;  but  then  he  was 
"  so  glad  to  see  her,"  that  that  made  some  amends.  His 
father  had  just  left  home  when  Nat  returned,  and  he 
followed  him  into  Canada,  as  he  told  Alida  and  Mrs.  Blythe, 
to  get  the  old  man's  signature  to  the  necessary  papers,  to 
enable  him  to  get  the  money.  He  returned  this  time  sooner 
than  usual,  with  the  proper  documents  regularly  executed, 
with  witnesses  to  his  father's  signature,  to  which  he  added 
his  own,  which  he  gave  to  Mrs.  Blythe,  and  received  the 
certificates  of  deposit,  and  hurried  away  to  the  bank  to  get 
the  money.  ..  He  borrowed  money  enough  of  Mrs.  Blythe 
to  bear  his  expenses,  alleging  as  a  reason  that  he  expected 
to  get  it  of  his  father,  but  as  he  met  him  on  the  road,  and 
was  in  such  a  hurry,  he  never  thought  of  it.  Perhaps 
he  thought  borrowing  his  best  horse  without  leave,  was  as 
much  as  he  could  afford  to  borrow  of  him. 

This  journey  would  necessarily  take  him  a  week  or  ten 
days,  and  then  he  said,  after  making  one  more  trip  into 
Canada,  he  was  going  to  settle  down,  and  go  to  farming. 
So  he  had  told  Marie  Louise,  that  as  soon  as  he  got  this 


222  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

money,  he  would  buy  a  farm  and  be  steady.  He  was  unu 
sually  affectionate  in  his  farewell  to  Alida,  and  left  her  full 
of  confidence  that  he  had  quite  reformed,  and  was  going  to 
make  one  of  the  very  best  of  husbands,  and  would  very 
soon  be  still  more  dear  to  her,  because  he  would  then  be  a 
father. 

The  day  after  he  started,  Dr.  Field  came  up,  and  almost 
the  first  word  was  an  inquiry  if  Nat  had  gone  to  the  bank. 

"  Yes,  who  told  you  ?" 

"  Nobody  ;  I  dreamed  it ;  and  that  is  not  all,  that  he  never 
came  back." 

"  Oh  nonsense  ;  why  doctor,  you  don't  know  how  Nat 
has  changed  lately.  The  only  fault  I  have  with  him,  is  that 
he  is  away  a  little  too  much,  but  he  says  that  he  is  going  to 
stay  at  home  all  the  time  after  he  gets  through  with  this 
speculation." 

The  doctor  merely  said,  "  I  hope  so,"  and  Mrs.  Ely  the 
repeated  it  ;  but  she  could  not  help  thinking  that  he  had 
been  for  months  intent  upon  this  money,  and  that  the  specu 
lation  had  been  waiting  for  him  all  that  time. 

"  However,"  said  she  in  a  tone  of  satisfaction,  "  I  took  good 
care  to  have  his  father's  name  as  security,  before  I  gave  up 
the  papers,  notwithstanding  Alida  thought  I  was  so  very 
particular." 

"Well,  well,  responded  the  doctor.  I  hope  it  will  all 
turn  out  well  yet  ;  we  will  not  cry  till  we  are  hurt."  Then 
addressing  Alida,  to  change  the  subject,  he  said  : 

"  How  does  the  whisky  war  come  on  in  the  valley  ?" 

"  Oh  you  may  well  say  war  ;  for  the  cold  water  party, 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  223 

and  the  whisky  party,  are  quite  unlike  the  liquids — they  will 
not  mix  at  all.  It  is  hard  to  tell  which  will  finally  keep  on 
the  surface.  Uncle  White  and  Blythe,  are  the  champions  on 
one  side,  and  Deacon  Brandon,  and  Ned  Smith,  and  Whisky 
Jake,  as  you  know  we  always  called  Jacob  Oldenheimer,  are 
the  great  guns  of  the  old  distillery.  The  women  are  about 
equally  divided.  All  that  have  drunken  husbands,  fight  for 
their  right  to  get  drunk,  and  talk  of  the  great  benefit  it  is 
to  farmers  to  have  a  distillery  in  the  neighborhood.  Isn't 
it  strange,  doctor  ?  Oh,  I  forgot  to  tell  you,  I  have  heard 
from  Michael.  Such  a  pretty  letter.  He  says,  remember  me 
to  that  dear  good  friend,  Dr.  Field." 

"  So  have  I  heard  from  him.  There,  read  that  letter  from 
my  brother.  It  is  written  by  one  of  the  girls,  who  acts  as  his 
amanuensis. 

"  DEAR,  BROTHER  WILL  : 

"  I  have  been  anxious  to  write  to  you  for  months,  but  as  my  eyes 
still  remain  in  the  same  condition,  I  could  not  write  without  an  aman 
uensis,  and  singular  as  it  may  seem,  although  I  had  two  as  good  ones 
as  I  could  desire,  I  could  not  use  them — they  were  interested  in  what  I 
wanted  to  say  to  you.  But  now  Elithura  is  writing  for  me,  and  I  can 
speak  out.  I  have  long  been  anxious  to  thank  you  most  sincerely  for 
that  perfect  treasure _  you  sent  me,  who  has  become  so  important  to 
me  that  I  really  do  not  know  what  I  should  do  without  him.  Of 
course  you  know  I  mean  Michael.  He  writes  all  my  letters,  not  from 
dictation,  for  I  have  only  to  tell  him  the  subject,  and  he  composes  bet 
ter  than  I  could  myself.  He  keeps  all  my  accounts,  in  short,  he  is 
scribe,  clerk,  book-keeper,  cashier,  and  salesman  ;  and  that  is  not  all ; 
he  is  one  of  the  best  boys  to  work  I  ever  saw.  And  then  on  Sunday, 
we  enjoy  a  real  treat.  You  know  how  fond  I  am  of  a  good  pair  of 


224  GREEN- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

horses,  but  after  my  eyes  got  so  bad.  the  girls  were  afraid  to  ride 
after  my  driving,  and  the  less  I  drove,  the  more  difficult  it  became, 
the  bays  were  so  restive,  and  for  some  weeks  before  Michael's  arrival 
we  had  not  been  out  to  meeting,  which  is  six  miles  oif— just  a  nice 
morning  ride.  Almost  one  of  the  first  things  I  inquired  of  him  was, 
'  if  he  could  drive  a  pair  of  horses.'  He  said  '  he  could  try,'  without 
giving  much  encouragement  ;  but  Jef.  May,  who  came  over  with  him, 
said, '  never  fear  ;  he  will  have  the  bays,  in  a  week,  so  they  will  play 
like  kittens,  or  follow  him  like  well  broke  pointers.  I  never  saw  such 
a  boy  with  a  horse.'  And  you  may  believe  it,  every  word  proved  true. 
And  now  the  girls  feel  just  as  safe,  as  though  in  a  rocking  chair  at 
home,  while  Michael  has  the  reins.  And  such  sleigh  rides  as  we  have 
had  this  winter — I  almost  felt  as  well  satisfied  us  though  I  held  the 
reins  myself. 

"  In  the  house  he  is  always  reading  or  writing,  or  holding  '  winter 
evening  amusements,'  as  the  girls  call  them,  in  which  mutual  instruc 
tion  is  blended,  and  they  say,  more  than  they  can  get  at  school. 

"  I  often  wonder  if  it  is  possible  that  this  boy  could  have  been  the 
poor  neglected  orphan  thu  he  says  he  was.  kicked  and  cuti'ed  about 
the  world,  uucared  for,  until  that  blessed  good  girl  took  him  in  hand. 
Scarcely  a  day  passes  that  he  does  not  express  his  gratitude  to  her 
and  to  you,  and  asks  me  to  remember  you  both  in  iny  prayers.  By 
the  way,  that  reminds  me  of  another  thing  he  does. 

"After  my  misfortune,  it  fell  to  the  lot  of  Wilma  to  read  a  chap 
ter  for  our  family  worship.  She  is  a  pretty  good  reader,  but  being 
engaged  one  morning,  she  asked  Michael  if  he  would  read  for  father. 
He  did  so,  and  ever  since  I  have  been  unable  to  get  her  to  touch  the 
book  in  his  presence.  I  have  never  heard  a  better  reader,  and  he 
reads  the  Scriptures  so  impressively,  that  his  auditors  often  find  a 
tear  trickling  down  their  cheek. 

"  To  the  girls  he  is  more  like  a  brother  than  anything  else — except 
one  thing  to  one  of  them — says  my  mischievous  amanuensis — your 
little  black-eyed  Elithura  ;  I  won't  tell  which,  just  to  plague  her,  so 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  225 

you  may  think  it  is  her.  However,  I  think  that  the  trio  would  all 
shed  tears  if  they  thought  he  was  going  away.  'I  think,'  say? 
Thura,  '  that  father  would  be  the  biggest  baby  iu  the  house,  at  such  a 
time.'  I  own  I  should  feel  bad. 

"Michael  has  told  us  so  many  horrid  stories  about  that  old  distil 
lery.  that  he  has  made  converts  of  us  all  to  the  temperance  cause 
We  have  quit  using  or  keeping  liquor  in  the  house.  Is  that  not 
something  worth  telling  of?  Although  I  am  not  much  disposed  to 
look  into  any  one's  pedigree,  yet  for  "Wilma's  sake,  I  do  feel  a  little 
anxious  to  know  whether  there  is  anything  but  poverty  and  neglect 
connected  with  Michael's  birth  or  early  days.  He  says  his  father 
was  a  good  man  before  he  got  to  drinking,  but  both  his  parents  died 
so  early  that  he  knows  nothing  about  them,  or  any  relation  upon 
either  side,  in  the  wide,  wide  world.  If  you  know  any  reason  against 
his  becoming  more  closely  connected  with  us,  pray  tell  me  before  it 
is  too  late,  for  I  am  satisfied  there  is  a  tender  spot  in  Wilma's  heart, 
which  a  year  or  two  may  render  incurable. 

"  How  I  should  rejoice  to  have  you  pay  us  a  visit,  though,  if 
you  should,  I  don't  know  but  Michael  would  go  crazy  ;  I  am  almost 
sure  he  would  if  he  could  see  you  and  Alida  both.  Shall  we  ever 
have  that  pleasure  ?  I  am  so  much  interested  in  that  dear  good  girl, 
for  her  kindness  to  this  poor  neglected  boy,  that  I  am  delighted  to 
hear,  from  her  letters  to  Michael,  that  her  marriage  has  turned  out  so 
much  better  than  I  anticipated,  from  what  he  had  told  me  of  the 
habits  of  Nat  Brandon.  I  was  afraid  that  old  distillery  had  ruined 
him,  but  I  see  by  her  last  letter,  that  the  blessed  influence  of  a  good 
wife  is  doing  its  good  work. 

"  Thura  says  :  'Ob,  father,  do  tell  Uncle  Will  about  the  soldier.' 

"  As  it  is  a  curious  story,  and  one  in  which  your  protege  acted  a 
part,  and  one  which  brought  us  to  a  knowledge  of  some  more  of  your 
good  deeds,  I  will  gratify  her,  though  I  fear  we  shall  make  it  a  long 
letter. 

"One  of  the  coldest  days  and  nights  in  December,  Michael  had 

10* 


Z2b  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

been  across  the  lake  on  the  ice,  with  the  double  sleigh,  to  take  over 
a  couple  of  U.  S.  officers,  from  whom  we  learned,  by  the  by,  that 
peace  was  almost  certain  to  be  declared,  as"  it  was  in  a  short  time 
afterwards.  They  paid  him  liberally  for  the  trip,  and  urged  him  to 
stay  all  night,  as  it  was  expected  he  would  do  when  he  left  home. 
They  were  so  unwilling  for  him  to  run  the  risk  of  going  back  that 
evening,  that  they  even  offered  him  a  present  of  five  dollars  to 
remain.  But  no,  nothing  could  induce  him  to  wait  till  morning. 
'  I  felt,'  said  he,  '  that  I  must  go  back  that  night.  There  was  an 
irresistible  influence  upon  my  mind,  that  something  important 
demanded  my  return,  or  that  something  very  important  was  about 
to  happen — perhaps  the  house  on  fire — in  which  I  should  be  instru 
mental  in  saving  human  life.  I  could  not  account  for  it.  I  fancied 
that  the  house,  or  family,  or  something  connected  with  them,  were  in 
danger,  and  that  I  might  be  the  means  of  doing  some  important  ser 
vice.  If  it  had  been  twenty  degrees  colder,  I  would  have  braved  it, 
so  strong  was  the  impression  upoti  my  mind.' 

"  By  what  method  of  reasoning,  brother  Will,  as  you  have  thought 
more  upon  such  things  than  I  have,  do  you  account  for  these  strange 
influences?  However,  you  have  not  yet  learned  the  results. 

"It  was  about  nine  o'clock  when  he  started  from  the  other  side. 
In  vain  the  officers  urged  him  to  take  a  drink  to  keep  out  the  cold, 
'and,'  added  the  landlord,  'to  keep  yourself  out  of  the  air-holes  in 
the  ice.' 

"  '  The  very  thing,'  rejoined  Michael, '  that  would  plunge  me  into 
danger  from  both  causes.' 

"  He  had  been  on  the  ice  about  two  hours,  and  had  made  about 
two-thirds  of  the  thirty  miles  safely,  and  without  suffering,  as  he 
was  well  wrapped  up,  or  seeing  or  hearing  anything  to  break  the 
monotony  of  a  cold  winter  night  upon  Lake  Champlain,  when  he 
caught  sight,  or  fancied  that  he  did,  of  a  moving  mass  coming  down 
the  lake  from  the  north.  He  stopped  the  horses,  and  the  merry 
jingle  of  his  bells,  to  listen.  There  was  no  merry  answer  of  bells  in 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  227 

return,  but  there  was  evidently  a  sleigh  gliding  rapidly  over  the  ice, 
which  was  coated  with  a  slight  covering  of  snow,  without  visible 
path,  the  travellers  having  to  steer  by  the  stars.  The  horses  and 
sleigh  of  the  strangers  were  all  as  white  as  the  snow — even  the 
leather  of  the  harness,  and  the  blankets  in  the  sleigh  were  all  white, 
so  as  to  be  as  nearly  invisible  as  possible  ;  but  the  breath  of  the  horses 
had  blown  back  and  coated  everything  with  frost,  like  a  sparkling 
of  diamonds,  and  as  the  motion  shook  them  in  the  star-light,  the 
crystals  flashed  and  sparkled  so  that  he  could  trace  the  course  of  the 
sleigh  distinctly,  and  saw  that  it  was  aiming  for  the  same  landing 
that  he  was,  and  though  the  course  of  the  white  phantom  was  diago 
nal  to  his  own,  the  two  routes  would  soon  intersect — perhaps  about 
a  mile  ahead,  as  it  was  driven  furiously,  if  by  mortals,  in  a  race  for 
life,  and  if  by  spirits,  with  the  speed  of  such  aerial  messengers. 

"  Michael  understood  in  a  moment — for  it  seems  he  has  had  some 
experience — that  this  was  a  thing  of  earth,  and  not  of  air,  or  a  phan 
tom  of  a  night  dream — the  white  sleigh  was  a  smuggler.  He  guessed 
the  cause  of  their  haste  at  once.  In  all  probability  those  who  were 
driving  had  seen  and  heard  him  long  before  he  saw  them,  and  were 
Buppicious  he  might  belong  to  the  custom-house  service,  and  so  they 
were  straining  every  nerve  to  reach  the  shore  first.  They  could 
have  borne  off  to  the  right,  and  struck  into  the  woods,  but  the  ice  all 
along  the  north  shore  under  cover  of  the  trees,  after  a  few  days'  sun 
shine,  is  very  treacherous,  and  thus  they  were  compelled  to  steer  for  a 
headland,  the  same  that  Michael  was.  aiming  for,  for  there  was  a  good 
landing  and  a  road.  There  is  a  little  danger  at  all  times  of  air-holes 
in  the  ice,  and,  as  you  know,  accidents  are  very  common  on  the  lake 
in  winter  ;  but  who  thinks  of  danger  in  a  steeple  chase  ?  Michael's 
horses  saw  the  others,  and  snuffed,  and  pawed,  and  neighed,  impa 
tient  to  be  off.  The  truth  is,  horses  aud  driver,  as  their  master 
would  have  been,  were  both  in  for  a  race,  and  danger  of  air-holes  or 
anything  else  but  little  thought  of  in  the  excitement  of  the  moment. 
The  course  of  the  smugglers  soon  brought  them  directly  in  a  line 


228  GKEEN-  MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

ahead  of  Michael,  and  then  the  race  must  have  been  intensely 
exciting. 

"  '  I  have  read,'  said  he,  '  of  flying  machines — none  ever  equalled 
mine.  I  forgot  that  the  thermometer  ranged  away  down  bek>w  zero, 
while  I  stood  up  in  the  sleigh,  though  it  was  difficult  to  hold  my 
breath,  and  still  more  to  hold  my  flying  steeds.  The  chase  had  a 
fleet  pair  of  horses,  which  reminded  me  of  the  tales  I  bad  read  of  the 
white  Arabian  coursers  upon  the  desert.  But  theirs  had  had  u 
longer  run  than  mine,  and  I  gained  upon  them  rapidly,  in  spite  of 
their  utmost  exertions.  I  knew  how  much  dearer  than  life  the 
smuggler  values  his  load,  for  one  is  often  risked  in  this  trade  to  save 
the  other ;  and  I  knew,  too,  how  much  they  were  alarmed,  and  I  felt 
a  little  mischievous,  aud  in  anticipation  enjoyed  their  surprise,  when 
they  found  how  they  had  run  from  such  a  harmless  enemy. 

"  '  The  ice  in-shore  was  clear  of  snow  and  glare,  and  smooth  as  glass. 
Here  I  gained  on  them  still  more  rapidly,  as  my  horses  were  sharp, 
and  felt  sure  of  every  step,  while  theirs  seemed  afraid  to  press  for 
ward.  As  I  came  within  hail,  I  gave  a  yell,  varying  the  tone  so  it 
sounded  like  three  or  four  different  voices.  I  little  expected  such  an 
answer  as  came  back  to  my  salutation  ;  though  I  knew  some  of  the 
smugglers  were  diabolical  scoundrels.  I  saw  two  men  standing  up 
in  the  sleigh — then  a  flash,  and  two  balls  whistled,  I  thought,  within 
an  inch  of  my  head.  The  sudden  and  unexpected  report,  confused 
me  for  a  moment,  and  the  flash  and  smoke  blinded  my  view  ;  it  was 
but  an  instant,  but  before  it  cleared  away,  I  heard  a  scream — '  Oh ! 
such  a  scream — I  knew  that  part  of  it  came  from  a  woman's  voice  ; 
the  voice  of  alarm,  terror,  and  despair  ;  and  I  gave  the  reins  a  pull  to 
the  right,  that  sent  me  like  an  arrow  past  the  white  sleigh — horses 
and  drivers  had  all  disappeared  beneath  the  ice — they  had  fallen  into 
an  air  hole — the  two  men  who  had  just  discharged  their  guns  at  me, 
having  by  that  lost  command  of  themselves  aud  the  reins,  pitched 
headlong  over  the  front  of  the  sleigh,  which  was  going  at  such  speed 
that  it  shot  over  men  and  horses,  as  it  broke  loose,  pressing  them 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  229 

under  the  edge  of  the  narrow  hole,  which  was  barely  large  enough  to 
let  the  horses  under,  while  the  sleigh  shot  ahead,  with  scarcely 
impeded  force. 

"  '  What  an  escape  from  the  same  death-trap  I  had  made ;  as  it  was 
directly  in  the  line  of  my  course.  The  two  men  had  no  time  to  utter 
a  word,  after  their  murderous  attempt  upon  my  life,  before  they  were 
in  eternity.  The  screams  came  not  from  them,  but  from  a  man.  woman 
and  little  girl,  who  were  passengers  in  the  sleigh,  or  rather  on  top  of 
the  load,  as  it  was  full  of  bales  of  the  most  valuable  goods.  The 
concussion  pitched  them  headlong  out  upon  the  ice,  with  a  projectile 
force  which  sent  them  spinning  away  over  the  glare  surface,  like  boys 
upon  their  sleds  at  the  foot  of  a  steep  hill.  It  was  a  frightful  shock, 
to  be  waked  suddenly  from  their  dreams  of  perishing  in  the  cold,  by 
the  sound  of  fire-arms,  and  thus  to  be  projected  out  upon  the  ice  as 
though  by  the  force  of  the  explosion. 

" '  It  appears  to  me  that  I  must  have  passed  them  nearly  a  mile,  before 
I  could  check  up.  the  ice  was  so  smooth  that  with  the  least  attempt  to 
turn  I  should  have  capsized.  When  at  last  I  succeeded,  and  returned 
toward  the  wreck,  I  found  the  woman  and  child  but  little  hurt,  though 
terrijbly  benumbed  with  cold,  yet  not  half  as  bad  as  before  the 
accident ;  the  woman  said,  that  had  warmed  them.  Her  husband, 
ehe  thought,  had  gone  under  with  the  others,  but  she  was  unwilling  to 
leave  the  spot,  though  she  might  be  in  danger  of  perishing  herself,  if 
we  remained.  I  told  her  to  get  in  the  sleigh  with  the  little  girl,  and 
I  would  drive  to  a  house.  The  child  said,  "  Oh  no,  not  without 
father."  So  I  told  them  to  nestle  down  in  the  bottom  of  the  sleigh, 
warm  and  comfortable  as  possible,  and  I  would  give  a  thorough  search. 
I  fastened  the  horses  to  the  wrecked  sleigh,  and  then  began  looking 
about.  Several  things  that  were  on  the  load  were  scattered  to  lee 
ward,  and  I  weut  to  all  of  them,  looking  for  her  lost  husband.  Then 
I  got  down  on  the  ice  and  looked  along  the  surface,  still  farther  off — 
it  does  seem  a  quarter  of  a  mile — there  I  saw  a  dark  object,  and  I 
thought,  I  heard  a  groan.  I  ran  to  the  spot,  and  there  was  a  man. 


230  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

He  had  on  a  soldier's  oil-cloth  watch-coat,  and  that  upon  the  smooth 
ice  had  carried  the  wearer,  who  was  completely  stunned  by  the  fall, 
away  as  though  he  had  been  mounted  on  steel-shod  runners.  He  was 
just  coming  to  his  senses  as  I  reached  him  and  lifted  him  in  my  arms. 

"  'No,  no,  no,  lay  me  down,  let  me  die.  I  don't  want  to  live,  my 
poor  wife,  and  sweet  child.  Oh,  what  a  death !  I  have  murdered 
them.' 

" '  No,  they  are  both  safe — both  unhurt — come  with  me,  and  you 
shall  see  them,  and  I  will  take  you  all  safe  home  with  me.  It  is  you 
that  are  hurt. 

"  '  I  found  that  he  could  not  walk,  and  told  him  to  sit  still  until  I 
could  bring  the  sleigh.  I  think  I  never  went  over  an  equal  space  so 
quick  before.  Something  seemed  to  lift  me  up,  and  send  me  onward. 
I  reached  the  horses'  heads,  and  was  untying  them — eyes  were  watch 
ing  me,  and  a  voice  said,  '  Oh,  you  will  not  leave  him !' 

"  '  No,  he  is  safe,  and  not  much  hurt — I  will  drive  to  him  and  in  one 
minute  you  shall  be  with  him. 

" '  Oh,  is  he  alive  ?    Thank  God,  how  merciful !' 

"  'An  hour  afterwards,'  said  Michael,  wiping  away  a  tear,  '  I  was 
safe  at  home,  with  my  passengers,  rescued  from  almost  certain  death. 
You  know  the  rest !' 

"  It  is  a  curious  story,  is  it  not,  my  dear  brother  ?  but  you  have 
not  yet  heard  half  of  the  most  curious  part.  '  The  rest,'  is  the  most 
interesting  ;  that  I  will  relate  in  my  own  language.  More  than  an 
hour  after  we  had  gone  to  bed,  and  two  hours  before  Michael's  arri 
val,  Wilma  got  up  and  called  the  hired-man,  and  made  him  pile  on 
logs  for  a  rousing  fire  in  the  kitchen.  As  she  went  back  to  her  room, 
I  called  to  her  to  know  what  it  meant.  She  said  '  that  she  was  sure 
that  Michael  was  coming  home,  and  he  would  be  almost  perished  with 
the  cold.'  I  laughed  at  her,  and  wanted  to  know  why  she  thought  he 
would  do  such  an  imprudent  thing,  such  a  night  as  that.  She  could  not 
tell  why,  but  she  said,  '  she  had  heard  the  bells  all  the  time  ;  heard 
them  when  he  came  down  the  hill  to  the  lake  ;  and  then  as  he  came 


GREEN- M'OUNTAIN     GIRLS.  231 

over  the  ice,  and  lately  as  though  he  was  running  for  his  life — she  was 
sure  he  was  freezing.'  I  told  her  she  had  been  dreaming,  but  she 
declared  '  she  had  not  been  asleep  ;  but  asleep  or  awake,  I  should 
find  that  she  dreamed  truly.'  So  I  did. 

"  Can  you,  my  brother,  upon  any  reasonable  ground,  account  for 
those  strange  effects  upon  the  human  mind.  What  could  have 
prompted  her  to  provide  this  welcome  fire  for  those  distressed  fellow 
creatures  ?  By  what  possible  medium  was  every  sound  of  Michael's 
movements  conveyed  to  her  ear.  All  the  first  moderate  drive — the 
chase — the  stop — the  silence — the  onward  movement — the  gentle 
tinkle  of  the  bells,  as  he  came  up  the  mountain-road  five  miles  off, 
came  to  her  ear  just  as  vividly  as  did  the  noisy  rattle  of  his  hurried 
drive  into  the  yard,  as  he  came  close  up  to  the  kitchen-door,  where 
he  called  so  earnestly  for  John,  '  John,  quick,  John,  for  your  life.' 

"  He  had  hardly  spoken  the  word  before  I  heard  Wilma's  voice  at 
John's  door,  repeating  the  words 

"'John,  John,  do  get  up,  quick,  that  is  a  good  fellow,  Michael 
is  at  the  door  and  wants  help  ;  I  am  afraid  he  is  frozen.'  And  then 
she  bounded  over  to  my  room,  and  came  and  put  her  hand  on  me 
gently  to  see  if  I  was  asleep. 

"  '  What  is  it,  daughter,  I  am  awake  ?' 

"  '  Oh  father,  Michael  has  come.' 

"  '  I  know  it  dear,  but  what  of  it  ?  He  only  wants  John  to  take 
the  horses',  he  is  well  enough,  I  know,  by  his  clear  voice.' 

"  '  I  don't  know,  sir,  but  I  know  by  his  driving  up  so  close  to  the 
door,  and  by  the  way  he  called  John,  that  something  is  the  matter.' 

"  There  was  something  in  this,  and  I  sprung  out  of  bed  and  began 
dressing  myself.  By  this  time  John  was  at  the  sleigh,  and  Michael 
said  something,  and  John  replied,  '  Oh  heavens.  I  thought  I  heard  a 
groan  ;'  and  then  Wilma  said  ;  '  Oh,  dear,  what  is  that  ?'  It  was  not 
the  groan  that  made  her  say  '  What  is  that  ?  '  It  was  a  child's  voice, 
as  it  entered  the  kitchen,  exclaiming  with  delight, 
. " '  Oh  father — mother — what  a  blessed  good  fire !' 


232  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

"  Wilma  said, '  it  is  somebody  that  Michael  has  found  in  distress- 
perhaps  frozen.' 

"  '  Then,'  I  said,  '  don't  let  John  bring  them  near  the  fire  ;'  and 
away  she  ran  faster  than  I  could  follow.  By  this  time  everybody  in 
the  house  was  up.  You  know  who — no,  what,  we  found  in  the  kitch- 
•  en.  The  man  was  not  frozen,  but  almost  chilled  to  death  by  laying 
so  long  on  the  ice,  and  somewhat  bruised,  but  nothing  serious.  His 
wife  was  not  hurt,  but  dreadfully  alarmed  about  her  husband,  for 
whom  she  has  a  glowing  affection.  She  had  suffered  with  the  cold 
very  severely,  but  had  somewhat  recovered  under  Michael's  buffalo- 
skins.  The  little  girl — one  of  the  most  beautiful,  bright-eyed,  little 
creatures  I  ever  saw,  with  a  profusion  of  dark  hair  in  natural  ringlets, 
as  soon  as  she  could  divest  herself  of  her  wrappers,  which  her  parents 
had  robbed  themselves  of  to  keep  her  warm,  ran  to  her  father,  and 
putting  her  arms  around  his  neck,  kissed  him  and  said,  '  Oh,  papa, 
we  are  among  good  Yankee  folks  now,  and  you  are  safe.' 

'"The  truth  flashed  upon  me — he  was  a  deserter  from  the  British 
army.  He  was  none  the  less  welcome.  Directly  the  girls  had  a  mug 
of  red-pepper-tea,  and  then  some  coffee,  and  something  to  eat,  and 
we  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  our  guests  quite  revived,  comforta 
ble  and  happy  as  could  be  expected  after  such  a  narrow  escape  from 
death.  Michael  had  not  yet  told  us  anything,  except  that  he  found 
them  perishing  on  the  ice ;  that  was  enough  for  us ;  while  he  was 
overjoyed  to  think  he  had  been  the  means  of  saving  such  precious 
lives.' 

"It  was  now  so  near  morning,  all  seemed  to  enjoy  the  glow  of  our 
great  fire  of  beech-wood  logs,  burnt  to  bright  coals  on  the  outside,  to 
which  every  now  and  then  John  added  a  stick  of  dry  hemlock,  that 
they  preferred  to  remain  where  they  were  until  daylight.  Michael 
said  to  John  that  they  must  start  for  the  lake,  to  bring  up  the  broken 
sleigh,  as  soon  as  they  could  see.  This  called  for  an  explanation, 
when  we  had  all  the  particulars  which  I  have  given  to  you.  The  sol 
dier  added  that  they  were  passengers,  and  that  he  had  given  a  very 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  233 

high  price  for  the  ride,  being  determined  to  get  off,  or  perish  in  the 
attempt,  as  where  he  was.  his  wife  suffered  a  daily  danger  more 
drnaded  than  death — too  terrible  to  bear  any  longer  ;  and  he  expected 
that  if  he  had  not  escaped  the  night  he  did,  that  he  would  have  been 
scut  the  next  morning  on  a  distant  service  on  purpose  to  get  him  out 
of  the  seducer's  way. 

"  '  And  now,  here  we  are,  with  nothing  but  the  clothes  we  have  on  ; 
but  we  have  both  of  us  strong  willing  hands,  and  we  both  know  how 
to  work.  I  have  not  always  been  a  soldier — I  only  enlisted  to  get 
over  to  America,  because  I  was  too  poor  to  pay  for  a  passage  ;  but  if 
I  live.  I  will  not  always  be  so,  that  is,  if  I  can  get  anything  to  do  to 
begin  with.' 

"  '  You  shall  have  it,  and  food,  and  shelter  for  your  wife  and 
child,  as  good  as  I  have.' 

"  As  I  said  this,  the  little  girl  slipped  down  out  of  her  mother's  lap, 
and  came  over  by  me,  and  looked  up  in  my  face  as  though  she  was 
trying  to  trace  out  some  feature  of  an  old  acquaintance.  Her  mother 
said  ; 

"  '  Why,  Georgiana,  don't  do  so  ;  what  is  the  matter  of  the  child  ?'. 

"  '  His  voice  is  like  him,  and  he  looks  like  him,  but,  mamma,  it  ain't 
Dr.  Field,  is  it?' 

"  'No,  my  child,'  said  I,  as  I  caught  her  in  my  arms,  '  but  it  is  his 
brother,  and  if  Dr.  Field  loves  you,  I  will  love  you  too.' 

"  How  she  did  cling  her  arms  around  my  neck  and  kiss  me,  and 
what  a  commotion  there  was  in  our  fireside  circle,  and  what  mutual 
explanations. 

"Yes,  Will,  it  was  your  little  patient  of  the  Stanstead  barracks, 
and  her  truly  grateful  parents,  and,  as  they  have  proved,  as  honest, 
industrious  a  couple  as  ever  lived.  True,  they  will  not  always  be 
poor. 

"  Georgiana  is  the  pet  of  the  house,  the  school,  and  all  the  neighbors. 
They  will  all  live  with  us  through  the  summer,  and  then,  if  he  likes 
he  can  rent  a  farm,  and  before  many  years  he  will  have  one  of  hia 


234  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

own.  I  hope  this  will  be  an  additional  inducement  for  you  to  visit 
us  in  the  course  of  the  year. 

"But  I  have  not  yet  done  telling  you  of  the  wonders  of  this  won 
derful  night.  I  inquired  who  their  companions  were,  who  met  such 
a  sudden  fate,  even  before  they  knew  whether  their  murderous  fire 
had  taken  effect  upon  the  object  they  aimed  at,  and  whether  they 
were  the  owners  of  the  load. 

"  '  No,  they  were  a  couple  of  rather  dissolute  young  men,  hired  to 
drive  the  sleigh,  and  were  to  have  a  hundred  dollars  if  they  got  safe 
through.  It  was  for  that  they  risked  their  souls,  when  they  sped 
those  balls  to  stop  the  officer,  as  they  thought,  in  pursuit  of  them.' 

" '  Did  you  know  their  names  ?' 

"  '  One  of  them  I  got  very  well  acquainted  with,  because  he  was 
the  son  of  a  family  in  good  standing,  I  knew  in  England.  He  was 
sent  over  by  his  father  because  he  was  so  indolent,  and  unsteady  at 
home.  His  name  was  Longwood.  His  companion,  I  never  heard 
of  by  any  but  his  given  name,  that  was  Scale.' 

" '  Scale  Williams  and  John  Longwood !'  exclaimed  Michael.  '  Poor 
old  Zep  Tharp — two  of  thy  murderers  have  gone  to  their  long  home, 
where  they  will  meet  their  victim,  and  hear  his  accusations  against 
them  for  murder.' 

"  What  singular  developments,  and  still  more  singular  connection 
of  yourself  with  all  those  characters  of  a  singularly  tragic  drama — 
and  what  real  mysterious  circumstances  connected  with  Michael,  and 
the  irresistible  influence  that  made  him  undertake  that  night  drive, 
through  which,  perhaps  those  two  met  their  fate,  and  these  three  were 
saved." 

"  John  and  Michael  went  down  in  the  morning  and  brought  up  tho 
load  of  smuggled  goods  from  the  ice,  which  were  given  up  to  the  cus 
toms  officers,  and  found  to  be  very  valuable.  There  is  a  feeling  among 
all  parties,  that  Michael  and  George  Yorkbridge — that  is  the  soldier's 
name — should  not  only  have  the  usual  share,  but  the  whole  of  the 
government  portion  also,  and  I  have  no  doubt  if  those  who  have  the 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  235 

matter  in  charge  can  bring  it  about,  that  will  be  the  final  disposition 
of  the  property.  Of  course  the  right  owner  will  not  appear  to  claim 
it. 

"  There,  now  I  hope  you  are  satisfied  with  the  length  of  this  letter 
and  will  not  complain  of  its  being  too  short." 

"No,  nor  too  long  either,"  exclaimed  Alida,  as  she 
finished  and  began  to  fold  it  up,  when  she  caught  sight  of  a 
P.  S. 

"  Well,  now  I  declare  ;  never  say  anything  of  a  woman's 
postscripts,  if  this  letter  has  one." 

"  Read  it,"  said  the  doctor,  "  for,  what  is  unusual  with 
postscripts,  this  is  the  most  interesting  portion  of  the  whole 
epistle." 

"  It  is  hardly  possible  that  anything  can  be  more  interes 
ting  than  what  we  have  read.  But  I  will  see." 

"  P.  S.  I  open  my  long  letter,  to  add  a  postscript,  just  to  plague 
you,  as  I  know  they  are  your  particular  aversion,  and,  as  you  say, 
never  contain  any  sense.  You  will,  I  hope,  exempt  this.  I  have  just 
received  a  letter  from  my  trusty  agent,  which  says  that  the  whole  of 
that  load  of  goods  had  been  sold  at  auction,  '  according  to  law,'  for 
the  benefit  of  the  treasury  of  the  United  States,  less  the  proper  fees, 
for  the  round  sum  of  two  hundred  dollars,  and  that  Michael  Granly, 
and  George  Yorkbridge,  are  the  joint  purchasers.  Thus  the  owner 
ship  has  been  legally  transferred,  the  law  and  officers  satisfied,  the 
public  gratified,  and  Uncle  Sam's  treasury  only  about  twenty  thousand 
dollars  poorer. 

"  Now  I  hope  you  will  not  say  again,  you  never  saw  a  postscript 
with  any  sense  or  information  in  it." 

"  No,  I  never  will ;  or  that  family  letters  are  always  full 
of  insipid  nonsense." 


236  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS 


CHAPTER  X. 

Very  short,  but  full  of  fire — Continuation  of  events — Another  family  letter  witnouJ 
a  postscript — The  birth  of  the  real  heroine  of  the  story — Life  begun  in  sorrow — 
How  will  it  end? — A  happy  marriage — And  another  in  prospect — Picture  of  a 
Green  Mountain  thunder-storm — Lightning,  and  where  it  strikes — A  night  long 
to  be  remembered — The  beauty  of  a  fire  scene — What  it  burnt  is  not  regretted 
—Smouldering  ruins  and  ruined  hopes. 

THE  continuation  of  the  chain  of  events  connected  with 
my  story,  I  find  already  to  my  hand,  in  the  copy  of  a  letter 
furnished  me  by  one  of  the  family  of  a  principal  character 
in  this  life  drama.  It  was  written  about  three  months  after 
the  interview  I  have  just  spoken  of  with  Alida,  in  answer  to 
one  of  inquiry  from  Michael  to  Dr.  Field. 

"  MY  DEAR  YOUNG  FRIEND  : 

"  You  ask  me,  '  what  in  the  world  has  become  of  Alida, 
that  I  can  get  no  answer  to  a  letter,  or  hear  whether  she  is 
dead  or  alive  ?  Has  anything  happened  ?  Pray  tell  me  all 
the  news.' 

"  You  ask  me  too  much,  unless  I  should  write  as  long  a 
letter  as  my  brother — or  rather  Elithura — did  to  me  about 
your  wonderful  night-  drive  across  Lake  Charuplain.  '  Has 
anything  happened  ?'  Yes,  a  great  deal  more  than  we  had 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  23t 

a  right  to  expect.  It  is  no  wonder  that  Alida  has  not 
answered  your  letter,  for  since  the  date  of  the  last  one  writ 
ten  to  you,  after  reading  yours  and  the  one  I  alluded  to 
above,  she  has  met  with  joys  and  sorrows  enough  to  crush  a 
stronger  heart  than  hers.  Joy  at  becoming  the  mother  of  a 
sweet  little  girl,  and  bitter  sorrow  at  feeling  that  she  is 
deserted  by  the  father  of  that  child  ;  forsaken  by  a  husband 
whom  she  loved  with  a  most  holy  affection  ;  robbed  by  one 
who  had  sworn  to  support,  nourish,  and  protect  her 
through  life. 

"  Do  you  recollect  what  you  said  to  me  at  our  first  con 
versation  about  Nat  and  Alida  ?  that  he  had  no  love  for 
her,  but  only  wanted  to  get  hold  of  the  money  coming  to 
her,  and  how  I  chided  you  for  such  an  uncharitable  thought  ? 
You  were  right,  and  I  was  wrong.  But  it  was  owing  to 
your  remark  that  I  induced  her  to  put  all  she  had  into  the 
hands  of  her  mother  before  she  was  married,  though  I  had 
no  thought  at  the  time  that  he  would  appropriate  it  dis 
honestly  ;  but  in  that  I  was  mistaken. 

"  Some  months  ago  he  persuaded  Mrs.  Blythe  to  let  him 
have  the  money,  as  he  had  an  opportunity,  he  said,  with  it 
to  make  a  great  speculation  ;  hinting  that  some  person  in 
Canada  had  a  valuable  lot  of  goods  that  he  was  afraid  to 
run  himself,  and  would  therefore  sell  at  less  than  English 
cost.  Mrs.  Blythe  refused  to  give  up  the  certificate  of 
deposit,  unless  Nat's  father  would  sign  the  note  with  him 
for  the  payment  ;  alleging  that  smuggling  was  such  a  pre 
carious  business,  that  although  some  folks  had  made  a 
great  deal  of  money,  others  had  lost,  and  she  was  unwilling 


238  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

to  run  any  risk.  At  that  very  time,  the  old  deacon  was 
over  the  line  looking  after  a  drove  of  cattle — you  know  how 
they  got  there — and  Nat  went  after  him  to  get  his  signa 
ture  to  the  bond,  and  then  came  back  and  started  for  Con 
necticut  to  get  the  money,  and  never  has  been  seen  or 
heard  from  since.  Yes,  he  was  heard  from  once,  though  his 
wife  would  not  believe  the  story. 

"  Jason  Inwright,  you  know  what  an  odd  animal  he  is, 
went  to  Montreal  some  three  or  four  weeks  after  Nat  went 
away,  and  somewhere  on  the  journey  got  acquainted  with 
a  Frenchman,  who  told  him  Nat  married  his  daughter  only 
a  few  days  before  the  date  of  his  marriage  to  Alida,  and 
gave  all  the  circumstances  so  minutely  that  there  can  be  no 
doubt  of  the  fact  ;  and  still  further,  that  he  had  come  for  his 
wife  just  before  Jason  saw  him,  and  moved  her  away  into 
York  State,  somewhere  west  of  lake  Champlain  ;  and  fur 
ther,  that  he  had  plenty  of  money.  It  seems  that  the 
Frenchman  was  drinking  at  the  time,  and,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  Jason  was  in  the  same  plight,  and  so  he  did  not  learn 
any  further  particulars,  as  to  his  name  or  where  he  lived,  or 
where  Nat  had  gone.  As  for  my  part,  I  have  no  doubt  of 
the  truth  of  the  story,  but  poor  Alida  cannot  believe  him 
such  a  heartless  villain,  and  she  sits  and  presses  her  babe  to 
her  breast,  telling  it  to  be  a  good  child,  and  papa  will  come 
by  and  by,  to  see  his  little  darling  ;  but  her  friends  have 
lost  all  hope,  have  given  up  all  expectation  of  ever  seeing 
him  again,  for  it  seems  that  beesides  all  his  other  villainy, 
he  forged  the  name  of  his  father  to  the  note  he  gave  Mrs. 
Blythe. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIKLS.  239 

"  '  But,'  I  hear  you  exclaim,  '  the  deacon  will  pay  it — 
he  will  not  let  the  widow  lose  it.' 

"  Perhaps  he  would  have  done  so,  but  for  one  trifling 
little  circumstance,  and  also  the  five  hundred  dollars  that 
Nat  owed  me,  for  which  I  had  his  father's  name,  which  was 
not  forged  ;  and  that  circumstance  is,  that  the  deacon  has 
lost  every  dollar  he  was  worth  in  the  world,  and  all  that  he 
could  borrow,  involving  several  of  his  neighbors  in  his  own 
ruin,  including  the  widow  Blythe.  He  borrowed  money  and 
mortgaged  his  farm  to  buy  cattle,  and  sold  them  for  cash 
at  a  great  profit,  but  was  not  content  with  that.  So  he 
went  into  partnership  with  a  Boston  sharper,  and  bought 
goods  which  his  partner  was  to  take  charge  of,  to  run  into 
that  market.  This  he  accomplished  with  about  one  half, 
and  the  other  half  got  '  picked  up,'  by  the  '  sharks.'  Still 
they  would  have  saved  themselves,  but  just  then  came  the 
declaration  of  peace,  and  their  goods  sold  at  more  than  ten 
thousand  dollars  loss  ;  and  all  the  receipts  were  pocketed 
by  the  Boston  partner,  for  his  half  of  the  capital,  which  it 
seems  he  had  stipulated  should  be  paid  back  out  of^the  first 
sale  ;  leaving  the  deacon,  not  only  with  his  debts  here,  but 
a  very  heavy  one  on  the  purchase  in  Canada. 

"  And  this  is  not  the  worst  of  it.  It  seems  that  Blythe 
in  his  lifetime  mortgaged  his  land  to  Deacon  Brandon,  but 
before  his  death,  from  money  from  his  mother's  estate,  had 
paid  it  all  up.  However,  the  deacon  had  assigned  the 
mortgage  to  Jake  Oldenheimer,  and  owing  to  Blythe's  habits 
in  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  and  his  sudden  death,  that 
mortgage  had  never  been  taken  up.  The  deacon  wanted  to 


240  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

use  the  money,  and  Jake  knowing  it  was  secure,  let  it  run 
on,  although  he  knew  that  Blythe  had  paid  it  to  the  deacon. 
So  you  see,  not  only  the  money,  but  house,  home,  husband, 
and  all,  are  swallowed  up  in  the  same  vortex  of  ruin.  There 
is  no  hope  of  mercy  from  Jake  ;  his  very  bitterness  against 
what  he  deems  his  enemies,  because  they  do  not  countenance 
his  drunken  habits,  will  prompt  him  to  foreclose  the  mort 
gage,  and  turn  the  widows  and  orphans  out  of  doors  ;  and 
he  has  the  law  upon  his  side. 

"  Poor  Alida  !  how  her  prospects  are  blighted  I  How  sad 
a  mistake  I  did  make,  that  I  did  not  follow  the  prompting 
of  some  unseen  spirit,  which  moved  me  to  prevent  that  mar 
riage,  at  the  very  moment  of  its  consummation. 

"  But  I  will  make  all  the  amends  in  my  power — she  shall 
never  want  a  home  while  I  have  one,  though  she  can  never 
have  a  happy  one  again.  Her  cup  is  turned  to  bitterness, 
and  her  marriage  bed  to  one  of  thorns. 

"  I  have  a  little  news,  however,  for  you,  of  a  more  pleas 
ing  nature. 

"  Frank  May  is  married  to  Mary  Tharp,  and  Frank  May's 
mother  thinks  there  is  not  such  another  woman  on  earth. 
It  is  a  question  if  she  does  not  love  her  better  than  she 
does  Frank.  Mary's  father  remains  true  to  his  promise, 
and  is  getting  along  finely,  and  so  is  Zep's  widow  and 
daughter.  They  all  live  together,  happy,  comfortable,  con 
tented,  and  respected  by  all  who  know  them.  Decker  is  as 
great  a  sot  as  ever. 

"  Blythe  White  is  a  glorious  fellow.  He  is  almost  in  love 
with  my  pretty  niece  Elithura,  from  your  vivid  description. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  241 

It  would  be  funny  if  he  should  go  over  to  see  her,  and  get 
up  a  match. 

"  I  am  writing  this  letter  at  Parson  White's — we  have  just 
attended  family  prayers,  and  among  all  the  other  things 
prayed  for  by  the  old  parson — that  queer  compound  of  reli 
gion  and  oddity — was  this  :  '  that  if  God  should  take  it  into 
his  head  to  strike  Deacon  Brandon's  distillery  with  light 
ning,  that  he  would  do  it  now,  while  it  was  full  of  whisky.' 
I  suppose  he  was  reminded  to  put  iu  this  petition  by  some 
of  the  most  vivid  flashes  that  I  ever  witnessed,  except  once 
in  the  mountains  near  Montpelier,  when  I  counted  more 
than  fifty  successive  streams  of  fluid,  passing  down  upon 
the  bare  rocky  peak,  of  one  of  the  highest  points.  It 
seemed  as  .though  the  fire  came  down  in  solid  masses,  and 
as  it  fell  upon  the  rock,  split  in  pieces,  and  rolled  down  the 
sides,  while  the  thunder  not  only  rolled  over  head,  but  actu 
ally  seemed  to  crash  down  through  the  rocks  and  trees 
away  below  where  I  stood.  In  fact,  I  was  above  the 
heaviest  part  of  the  shower  ;  I  was  on  a  level  with  the 
clouds,  and  compassed  about  with  fire.  To-night  it  is  all 
over-head,  but  the  flashes  come  in  quick  succession,  lighting 
up  the  valley  so  that  I  can  count  every  house  as  plainly  as 
I  could  at  mid-day.  There  !  just  now  there  was  a  flash, 
that  seemed  to  rest  for  half  a  minute  upon  a  spot  which 
must  be  ever  dear  in  your  memory — that  sweet  place  by  the 
big  rock,  where  you  took  your  final  leave  of  Alida.  What 
would  I  give  to  restore  her  to  the  bliss  of  that  moment  ? 
Then,  her  pathway  in  life  was  as  bright  as  this  flash  that 
has  just  passed,  leaving  all  nature  ten  times  darker  for  its 

11 


242  GREEN- MOUX  TAIN      GIRLS. 

vivid  light.  In  the  midst  of  all  this  terrible  darkness,  there 
is  one  light,  sending  up  its  smoke,  and  glare,  and  sparks, 
upon  the  night  air,  and  they  rise  up  towards  the  black 
clouds  as  if  to  covet  connection  with  their  electric  fire,  for 
there  is  not  a  breath  of  wind  to  waft  them  away. 

"  You  will  guess  that  this  is  the  fire  of  the  old  distillery. 
Yes,  it  burns  on,  and  for  aught  that  I  can  see,  will  burn  on, 
consuming  this  sweet  vale  like  a  pestilence  ;  it  is  worse  than 
ever,  since  it  has  fallen  into  the  hands  of  its  new  owner,  Jake 
Oldenheimer." 

"  Heavens  !  what  a  peal  and  flash,  all  blended  in  one.  I 
am  blinded.  I  could  not  tell  which  came  first.  And  now, 
Oh,  how  intensely  dark.  And  now  what  a  bright  light 
flashes  out  upon  the  darkness  again.  What  can  it  be  ?  for 
this  is  not  from  the  clouds.  It  comes  from  the  earth.  What 
can  it  be  ?  Ha,  ha,  I  see.  We  are  avenged  at  last.  The 
lightning  and  the  old  distillery  fire  have  met.  Yes,  yes,  it 
must  be  so.  How  sudden  ;  for  while  I  have  written  these 
few  words  the  flame  has  sprung  up  through  the  floors,  and 
along  the  posts,  illuminating  every  window,  and  now  it  is 
out  of  the  roof.  Fire  !  fire  !  fire  !  now  rings  out  upon  the 
stillness,  for  the  thunder  having  done  its  work — having  spent 
its  power  in  that  last  peal — has  rolled  away  to  the  moun 
tains,  and  the  lightning  has  hid  itself  in  the  clouds,  while  the 
dry  boards  and  shingles  of  that  old  building,  and  the  two  hun 
dred  barrels  of  liquid  lightning  stored  in  its  loft,  send  a  more 
vivid,  enduring  light  up  to  the  very  clouds,  than  their  own 
electric  flashes.  Even  the  rain  which  had  just  began  to 
natter  its  music  upon  the  roof,  lulling  the  tired  laborer  to 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  243 

sleep,  has  suddenly  dried  up,  that  no  drop  should  hinder  the 
burning  of  that  old  black  roof,  and  all  beneath." 

"  There  goes  the  bell  upon  the  little  church,  to  waken  all 
the  sleepers  around,  till  they  shall  hear  the  cry  of,  Fire  !  fire  ! 
fire  !  and  come  out,  to  look  upon  the  magnificent  specta 
cle.  The  whole  building  is  already  one  sheet  of  flame.  I 
never  saw  anything  so  sudden.  The"  bolt  must  have  fallen 
upon  a  cask  of  fiery  fluid,  and  burst  it  at  the  same  time  it 
ignited,  and  that  has  burst  others,  and  now  all  is  a  sea  of 
billowy,  rolling,  surging  flame,  sending  its  forked  tongues  an 
hundred  feet  up,  towards  the  home  of  Him  who  kindled  the 
fire.  Now  the  great  wood-shed  has  taken  fire,  and  a  thou 
sand  cords  of  dry  hemlock  wood,  will  add  a  mass  of  fire,  hot 
enough  to  melt  the  rocks  of  our  own  Green  Mountains  into 
glass.  I  have  often  seen  the  terrific  fires  that  roar  up  the 
mountain  sides,  where  the  trees  have  been  winrowed,  but  I 
have  never  looked  upon  so  grand  a  sight  as  this.  Perhaps 
it  is  because  all  else  around  is  so  intensely  dark,  that  the 
flame  glares  out  over  the  whole  valley  in  such  vivid  brightness. 
In  every  house  it  is  as  light  as  day.  I  have  put  out  my 
candle,  and  sit  here  a  mile  away  from  the  fire,  writing  by  the 
light  of  that  burning  building.  Everybody  is  out  looking 
upon  this  midnight  illumination,  but  no  one  lifts  a  hand  or 
voice  to  save,  for  all  are  powerless.  Those  who  regret  to 
see  it  burn,  are  awe-struck,  and  exclaim,  '  it  is  the  hand  of 
God!' 

"  In  an  hour  from  now,  not  a  stick  will  remain  above  the 
surface  of  the  ground  where  once  stood  that  pest  of  this 
valley — Deacon  Brandon's  old  Distillery/' 


244  GREEN-  MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

"  Now  the  clouds,  as  if  satisfied  with  what  they  have 
accomplished,  are  rolling  away  over  the  line,  and  the  stars 
begin  to  peep  oat,  smiling  at  what'  the  fire  of  heaven  has 
been  about  while  they  were  veiled  in  darkness — smiling  to 
think — if  stars  can  think — that  a  foul  spot  has  been  purified, 
as  all  foul  spots  can  best  be  purified — by  fire. 

"  Now  Blythe  is  calling,  '  Come,  doctor,  it  won't  rain,  let's 
go  down  :'  so,  my  dear  boy,  good-night.  Give  my  love  to 
all  my  sweet  cousins,  and  believe  me  as  ever,  your  friend. 

"WiLL  FIELD." 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  245 


CHAPTER  XL 

The  cycle  of  years,  and  the  change,  and  new  features  it  has  brought  in  our  story — 
An  age  of  new  life  to  one,  and  blasted  hope  to  another — The  great  want  of  an 
affectionate  nature — Marry  again,  never — The  widow  finds  a  home — Alida  and 
Celestine  start  upon  a  long  journey,  and  arrive  at — disappointment — A  sad  part 
ing  of  friends — The  end  of  the  journey,  and  then — What  then? 

SEVEN  years  !  What  changes  have  been  wrought  in  one 
septennial  cycle.  Seven  years  from  the  date  of  Dr.  Field's 
letter  describing  the  scene  of  the  conflagration  of  the  old 
distillery,  have  now  rolled  away  in  the  abyss  of  time  past. 
Past  never  to  return.  Acts  that  have  been  done,  can  never 
be  reclaimed.  If  good,  they  may  be  remembered  ;  if  bad, 
they  should  be  forgotten,  for  why  should  we  brood  over  evil, 
or  mourn  for  that  which  has  passed  away  ?  Rather  look 
onward  and  upward.  Seven  years  !  How  long  to  one — 
how  short  to  another.  To  Alida,  it  was  an  age — an  age  of 
lonely  misery — an  age  of  blasted  hope  and  love.  Born  with 
a  heart  full  of  natural  affection,  she  could  not  live — she 
only  remained  on  earth — without  some  one  upon  whom  she 
might  lean  ;  look  up  to  ;  love  ;  adore  as  a  superior  being  ; 
though  her  equal  fellow  mortal,  yet  her  superior  ;  one  who 
could  joy  in  her  joy,  and  sympathize  with  her  in  her  trou 
bles.  In  short,  one  worthy  of  her  esteem,  who  would  esteem 
her.  This  she  had  felt  as  the  great  want  of  her  nature, 


246  GREEX-MOCXTAIX      GIRLS. 

without  which,  existence  was  a  blank.  It  was  for  this  she 
married.  For  a  few  months  she  flattered  herself  this  was 
what  she  had  obtained,  and  she  was  happy.  Then  came 
that  cruel  desertion,  and  that  void  in  her  heart,  that  all  the 
love  for  that  dear  child,  and  all  her  fondness  for  her  affec 
tionate  mother  could  not  fill.  Sleeping  or  waking  that  void 
was  there.  For  her,  Heaven  had  only  created  one  being 
who  could  fill  it.  To  him  she  had  pledged  her  virgin  love  ; 
to  him  she  gave  an  unsullied  heart,  and,  unworthy  as  he  was 
of  her  abiding  constancy,  she  would  not  forget  that  he  had 
pressed  her  fondly  to  his  bosom,  and  said,  "  I  love  you — you 
alone — and  never  shall  love  another."  It  was  a  spell — 
a  charm — a  fascination — from  which  she  never  awakened. 
She  knew  he  was  gone  from  her  ;  but  still  she  felt  as  if  all 
was  not  yet  lost.  She  longed  for  some  one  to  love  ;  some 
one  that  she  could  feel  loved  her.  She  pressed  her  child 
fondly  to  her  heart,  but  it  did  not  fill  the  void. 

Those  whose  minds  were  cast  in  a  different  mold,  said  : 

"  Marry  again." 

Her  answer  was  : 

"  I  am  not  a  widow.  To  marry  while  my  husband  is 
living,  is  to  acknowledge  my  child  illegitimate.  I  cannot." 

What  she  could  not  acknowledge,  others  said  was  the 
truth.  Cruel,  bitter  tongues,  spoke  bitter  words,  that  went 
like  poisoned  arrows  deep  into  her  flesh,  and  rankled 
there,  till  all  around  was  a  painfully  inflamed  sore.  Seven 
years  thus  sped  on.  The  old  distillery  was  a  ruin,  filled  with 
the  ashes  and  cinders  of  its  former  glory.  It  exactly  typi 
fied  her  heart. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  247 

Seven  years  had  not  passed  before  Deacon  Brandon  was 
mouldering  in  the  little  nook  at  the  cross-roads,  in  one 
corner  of  his  own  fields,  called  the  "  grave  yard."  He  had 
died  without  raising  the  mortgage  upon  the  Blythe  farm, 
and  Alida  and  her  mother  were  homeless,  but  the  mother 
was  not  long  so.  She  found  it  in  the  same  yard,  where  her 
husband  and  the  owner  of  the  distillery,  which  had  brought 
so  much  misery  to  her  home,  were  sleeping  side  by  side. 

Poor  Alida,  she  was  now  alone  in  the  world,  without  one 
sympathising  soul  to  mingle  with  hers.  True,  she  had 
friends,  warm  and  devoted.  Dr.  Field,  and  the  Whites 
would  share  their  home  with  her,  but  there  was  a  spirit  of 
independence  in  her  mind  that  she  could  not  subdue.  She 
could  not  bear  the  idea  of  being  dependent  upon  charity  for 
bread  for  herself  and  child.  She  felt  that  there  was  one  ia 
the  world  upon  whom  she  had  a  just  claim. 

"  At  least,"  said  she,  "he  is  bound  to  support  his  own 
offspring,  and  as  for  me,  I  shall  not  care,  when  I  see  her 
provided  for,  how  soon  I  join  my  mother." 

She  had,  just  before  her  mother  died,  received  reliable 

information  that  Nat  was  living  in  the  town  of  M n,  in 

the  State  of  New  York,  upon  a  good  farm,  and  in  good 
circumstances,  and  thither  she  determined  to  go.  She  was 
able  to  save  barely  enough  to  defray  the  expense  of  the 
journey,  out  of  the  sale  of  the  personal  property,  after  pay 
ing  with  scrupulous  exactness  every  debt  owed  by  her 
mother,  and  the  heavy  expense  of  her  long  final  sickness 
and  funeral.  She  did  not  tell  her  friends  her  project,  for 
fear  they  would  dissuade  her,  but  led  them  to  suppose  she 


248  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

was  going  to  visit  relations  in  Connecticut.  She  thought, 
"  If  he  cannot  receive  me,  certainly  he  will  provide  for 
Celestine,  when  he  sees  her  pretty  face — her  bright,  mild 
blue  eyes — her  brown  hair,  hanging  in  such  natural  ringlets 
upon  her  white  neck,  and  graceful  form  ;  or  when  he  hears 
her  speak  so  mild  and  sweetly,  or  sing  her  pretty  songs  ; 
and  above  all,  when  she  clings  her  arms  around  his  neck 
and  calls  him  papa  ;  he  will  love  her,  and  cherish,  and  sup 
port  her,  and  then  if  I  can  know  that  she  is  safe,  I  can  die 
in  peace,  and  my  last  prayer  shall  be  for  God  to  forgive 
him  as  freely  as  I  do." 

It  was  a  sad  day  in  Brandon  valley,  when  Alida  and  her 
lovely  child  took  their  seats  in  the  rough  wagon  called 
a  mail-stage,  to  leave  her  home  and  all  its  associations, 
and  all  her  old  friends  and  acquaintances,  to  go  out  upon 
the  wide,  wide  world,  alone.  They  never  knew  till  then 
how  much  they  had  loved  her.  Old  and  young  alike  wept. 
All  could  remember  some  good  deed,  some  kind  word,  or 
even  a  sweet  smile  or  sympathetic  tear,  and  all  felt  that 
they  were  parting  with  a  friend  for  the  last  time.  True, 
they  were  not  going  with  her  to  the  grave,  but  they  felt 
that  it  would  soon  claim,  her  for  its  own,  and  that  lovely 
child  would  be  an  orphan.  How  they  execrated  him  who 
had  wrecked  the  fair  prospects  of  this  girl,  and  stranded 
her  upon  the  very  brink  of  the  grave  before  she  was  thirty 
years  old.  It  was  well  that  they  did  not  know  her  purpose, 
or  they  would  have  laid  hands  upon  her  and  said,  "  You 
shall  not  go  1" 

But  she  has  said  her  last  adieu,  and  the  stage  rumbles 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  249 

down  the  road,  while  a  score  or  two  of  tearful  eyes  are 
strained  to  catch  the  last  glimpse  as  it  goes  around  the  old 
hemlock  at  the  corner. 

Long  and  toilsome  was  her  journey  over  the  mountains 
and  across  the  lake — for  thirty  years  ago  there  was  not  a 
railroad  in  existence,  and  but  few  steamboats,  and  those  of 
a  rude  kind,  much  unlike  our  commodious  ones  of  the  pre 
sent  day.  But  toilsome  as  was  the  journey,  it  was  far  less 
so  than  the  toil  of  every  day  for  the  last  seven  years,  for 
that  had  been  the  toil  of  hope  deferred — this  was  the  toil 
of  hope  and  happiness  anticipated.  For  years  she  never 
gave  up  the  idea  that  her  husband  would  return  to  her  ;  if 
not  for  his  wife,  for  his  child — his  own  image. 

Now  she  was  buoyed  up  with  the  hope — aye,  the  satis 
faction,  that  he  would  receive  and  love  the  little  Celestiue 
as  she  loved  her,  and  with  that  Alida  would  be  content. 
She  had  no  hope,  no  care  for  herself.  But  the  child  was 
lovely  in  the  superlative  degree,  and  all  who  had  ever 
known  her  in  the  valley,  had  manifested  their  strong  affec 
tion  ;  and  it  never  entered  that  mother's  heart  that  human 
beings  existed  who  could  hate  her.  She  did  not  know 
what  mighty  changes  nature  works  in  one  of  her  septeniads. 
She  knew  her  own  face  was,  but  her  heart  was  not  changed, 
and  she  could  think  of  Nat  only  as  when  his  image  had 
been  imprinted  upon  that  child,  and  when  his  tongue  told 
her  that  his  heart  loved  her.  Seven  years  had  not  faded 
that  picture,  and  in  all  that  time  it  had  been  one  daily  feast 
to  her  mental  vision.  She  knew  that  he  had  wronged  her, 
but  she  forgave  and  prayed  for  him ;  bore  and  nursed  his 

11* 


250  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

child,  and  trained  her  to  love  her  father  and  pray  for  his 
return.  She  never  knew  how  much  she  had  been  wronged, 
for  she  lived  in  a  holy  seclusion  from  the  gossip  of  fools, 
and  friends  would  not  intrude.  She  thought  her  husband 
had  been  seduced  away  from  her — she  never  imagined  that 
human  being  ever  thought  that  she  had  seduced  him  from  a 
lawful  wife.  She  thought  if  he  preferred  another,  she 
would  not  repine,  and  certainly  would  never  ask  him  to 
give  up  that  other  for  her  ;  but  her  child  must  have  a  pro 
tector,  and  she  felt,  after  her  mother's  death,  that  she  must 
seek  that  protector  at  once.  She  felt  a  presentiment,  for 
which  she  could  not  account,  that  she  should  join  her 
mother  soon,  and  with  her  it  was  a  sort  of  monomania  to 
place  Celestine  with  her  father,  "  and  then,"  says  she,  "  I 
shall  be  ready  to  go."  She  dared  not  mention  her  project 
to  Dr.  Field,  or  Blythe  White,  or  the  old  parson,  for  they 
would  have  each  of  them  said,  "No,  come  with  us  ;  you 
and  your  child  shall  have  a  home  as  long  as  life  lasts." 

Oh  !  I  have  forgotten  to  mention  another  of  the  changes 
of.  these  seven  years.  Blythe  White  had  crossed  the  moun 
tains  and  the  lake,  fascinated  with  the  description  Michael 
had  given  of  Elithura,  and  found  her  all  that  he  had  repre 
sented  ;  while  she,  in  her  turn,  seemed  to  know  as  much  of 
him  as  he  did  of  himself.  Under  such  circumstances,  it  is 
easy  to  imagine  how  readily  a  match  was  arranged.  It  is 
still  more  easy  to  imagine  that  Wilma  had  already  con 
cluded  one  with  Michael.  Elithura  became  a  bosom  friend 
of  Alida,  and  would  gladly  have  shared  her  home  with  her. 
For  herself  she  would  have  been  content  with  this,  but 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  251 

Elithura  had  children  of  her  own,  and  "  how  could  she 
love  mine  as  well  ?  No,  I  will  go  to  her  father,  and 
then  !" 

What  then  ?  It  was  as  much  a  blank  in  her  mind  as  it 
is  upon  this  page.  She  had  no  thought  beyond  "  then." 

After  a  week's  toilsome  journey  she  arrived  at  M , 

near  the  home  of  Celestine's  father,  and  then 

What  then  ? 


252  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  village  hotel — The  landlord — The  bar-room,  and  its  occupants — A  new  country 
village — A  gentleman  stage-driver — His  passengers  in  trouble — What  makes  a 
good  son — A  good  brother — Read  and  see — "  Come  with  me." — Blessed  words  of 
comfort — "Bla  !  what  did  you  come  here  for?" — A  child's  appreciation  of  char 
acter — Cheap  happiness,  and  after-influences  of  good  actions — A  surprise,  and 
its  painful  effects — A  baautiful  picture — Good-bye,  and  a  last  farewell. 

IT  is  perhaps  not  much  over  a  hundred  miles  on  a  straight 
line,  from  Brandon  to  the  point  of  her  destination,  yet  it 
had  taken  Alida  a  full  week  to  accomplish  it,  by  the  round 
about  way  she  was  obliged  to  travel,  and  her  strength  was 

nearly  exhausted  the  evening  she  arrived  at  M ,  which 

she  found  just  such  a  country  village  as  are  all  too  common 
in  every  new  district  of  our  country.  It  contained  a 
"  Hotel,"  a  name  applied  to  an  unpainted  two-story  struc 
ture,  with  two  rooms  in  front  of  a  rear  projection,  the 
architectural  design  of  which  was  obtained  by  the  carpen 
ter  from  his  mallet,  the  front  being  the  block,  and  the  rear 
the  handle.  One  of  the  front  rooms  was  the  bar-room, 
post  office,  justice's  office,  and  grand  sanhedrim  of  village 
politicians.  Unpainted,  un-whitewashed,  black  with  pine- 
wood  smoke,  furnished  with  a  few  wood-colored  chairs  and 
benches,  bearing  the  deep  marks  of  the  nothing-to-do  whit 
tling  occupants,  with  a  dirty  bar  counter  across  one  end, 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  253 

filled  with  kegs,  bottles,  cigar  boxes,  old  coats,  boots,  saddle 
bags,  bridles,  and  other  things  too  numerous  to  mention  ; 
such  was  the  grand  reception-room  of  this  village  hotel.  The 
presiding  genius  of  the  place — the  landlord — post-master — 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  "  leading  man  of  the  town,"  was  a 
medium  sized,  dark  skinned,  dark  haired  man,  with  high  cheek 
bones,  that  bespoke  for  him  a  near  connection  with  the  Indian 
race  ;  and  his  eyes  of  jet  black,  and  sparkling  keenness,  told 
that  he  possessed  as  much  cunning  and  sensuality  as  nature 
ever  implanted  in  one  individual,  without  a  single  one  of 
the  moral  organs  to  hold  the  more  animal  ones  in  check. 

Alida's  first  intention  was  to  stop  at  this  place,  and  send 
a  request  for  "  Mr.  Brandon,"  who  lived  about  three  miles 
farther  on,  to  meet  her  there.  With  this  view  she  got  out 
of  the  stage,  which  was  to  await  supper,  and  a  change  of 
horses,  and  as  the  bar-room  was  the  only  one  open,  she 
entered  that,  as  the  evening  was  cool,  and  Celestine  was 
anxious  to  see  and  feel  the  influence  of  the  fire,  the  bright 
light  of  which  sent  its  cheering  rays  through  the  uncur 
tained  windows.  One  step  within  the  door  was  enough — 
one  sniff  of  an  atmosphere,  composed  of  rum,  tobacco,  and 
the  fetid  breaths  of  those  who  use  them,  heated  to  blood 
heat  in  a  close  room,  was  enough — Alida  could  not  enter. 
She  drew  back,  and  sat  down  upon  one  of  the  benches  of 
the  long  dirty  portico,  where  she  was  obliged  to  hear  the 
ribald  jests  of  the  blackguards  within,  upon  her  "  fastidi 
ousness  ;  turning  up  her  delicate  nose  at  the  appearance  of 
gentlemen." 

"  No  doubt  some  painted  Jezebel," — alluding  to  the  hec 
tic  flush  on  her  cheeks — "  from  the  city." 


254  GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIELS. 

"  She  is  dev'lish  pretty,  though,  painted  or  not  painted. 
For  my  part,  I  wish  my  old  woman  would  use — what  d'ye 
call  it — rouge — well,  rouge,  then,  if  that  would  make  her 
as  handsome  as  she  is." 

"  Beauty  is  only  skin  deep,  at  best ;  but  you  would  have 
it  only  paint  deep." 

"I'll  bet  drinks  all  round,"  said  another  of  the  crew, 
"  that  them's  nat'ral  colors  ;  I  took  a  good  look  at  her. 
She  is  some  Green  Mountain  Gal  ;  they  all  look  about  that 
way.  But,  cuss  me,  if  that  gal  of  her's  don't  look  like  it 
might  be  one  of  Nat  Brandon's." 

"  She  aint  much  of  anybody  ;  look  how  thick  she  is  with 
The.  Johnson,  the  stage-driver." 

Celestine  was  no  longer  cold.  She  did  not  want  to  go  in 
by  the  fire  among  all  "  those  ugly  looking  men." 

"  Merciful  father,"  thought  Alida,  "  are  these  human 
beings,  and  is  this  a  house  licensed  for  the  special  accommo 
dation  of  travellers,  where  we  could  no  more  enter,  than 
into  a  den  of  wild  beasts." 

Just  then  the  stage  driver  approached,  to  ask  her  if  he 
should  take  off  her  trunk.  It  was  this  that  had  elicited  the 
foul  remark  of  the  brute,  who  imputed  something  wrong  to 
the  intimacy  of  a  lady  with  the  stage  driver. 

The  truth  is,  the  stage  driver  was  a  man,  and  as  such 
he  had  treated  her  as  a  gentleman  always  treats  a  woman  ; 
particularly  when  confided  to  his  care  to  conduct  her  on  a 
lonely  journey.  He  had  spoken  kindly,  acted  kindly,  and 
had  not  presumed  to  ask  a  single  question,  touching  her 
purpose  for  travelling,  or  where  she  was  going. 


GKEEN-MOUNTAIN'     G  1.R  L  S  .  255 

He  had  been  polite,  agreeable,  pleasant,  without  being 
obtrusive.  But  now,  the  relation  between  them  had 
changed,  and  in  spite  of  her  efforts  to  conceal  them,  the  tears 
of  a  woman  in  distress  appealed  to  him  for  sympathy,  pro 
tection,  assistance  ;  all  of  which  he  determined  to  give, 
without  stopping  to  inquire  whether  the  object  belonged  to 
"  one  of  the  most  respectable  families,  the  wife  of  one  of 
our  first  citizens,"  or  whether  she  was  some  poor  forsaken 
factory  girl. 

"  Oh  !  I  was  going  to  ask  you  if  I  should  bring  in  your 
trunk  ;  but  I  guess  you  don't  want  to  stop  here." 

"  No,  not  here.     Is  this  the  only  public  house  ?" 

"  Yes,  ma'am  ;  there  are  but  few  houses,  you  see,  in  all. 
The  store  keeper,  and  doctor,  and  blacksmith,  and  about  a 
dozen  others,  such  as  always  stick  in  about  a  new  country 
village,  and  some  of  them  pretty  hard  cases." 

"  I  should  think  so,  by  the  sample  in  here.  I  never  saw 
such  a  room  before." 

l<  Yes,  yes,  and  you  wanted  to  go  in.  I  know  the  little 
girl  must  be  cold.  Come  with  me,  this  way  ;  here  is  the 
parlor,  and  I  will  soon  have  a  fire.  Come." 

And  he  led  the  way  into  the  other  front  room,  and  in 
scarcely  as  much  time  as  it  takes  me  to  write  it,  had  a 
blazing  fire  of  dry  pine  splinters,  exceedingly  agreeable  to 
the  weary,  chilly  travellers. 

"  Now  warm  yourselves,  and  I  will  see  if  they  are  going 
to  get  you  any  supper.  Risley  is  off  somewhere,  and  they 
say  the  old  woman  is  out  of  her  head  again,  and  things  are 
all  out  of  sorts  to-night.  Did  you  intend  to  stop  here  ?" 


256  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

"  I  did,  but  cannot.  I  do  not  know  what  to  do.  The 
family  I  intended  to  visit  live  near  here,  but  I  do  not  know 
where,  and  I  thought  I  would  stop  in  the  village  and  send 
word,  but  this  place — Oh  it  is  awful — do  hear  how  they 
are  carrying  on  in  the  bar-room,  and  how  cheerless  this  one 
looks." 

It  did  indeed  look  cheerless — bare  floor — bare,  rough 
plastered  walls,  unpainted  doors,  windows  without  curtains, 
fireplace  without  fire-dogs,  except  stones,  no  shovel  and 
tongs,  six  old  chairs,  a  dilapidated  bureau,  a  broken  look 
ing-glass,  and  a  few  very  common  dirty  colored  lithograph 
pictures  ;  and  this  was  the  "  parlor"  and  its  furniture.  I 
might  have  added  that  every  door  had  to  be  held  shut  by 
placing  a  chair  against  it.  It  was  no  wonder  that  Alida 
exclaimed  "  how  cheerless,"  and  that  Celestine  should  have 
looked  up  inquiringly  in  her  face  and  said,  "  Ma !  what  did 
you  come  here  for  ?" 

She  was  answered  by  a  single  tear,  but  it  caught  the  eye 
of  the  kind-hearted  stage-driver,  and  he  felt  its  influence  in 
his  heart,  as  certain  as  we  feel  the  electric  shock  without 
seeing  the  fluid.  There  was  a  choking  in  his  throat  as  he 
said  : 

"  Come  with  me  ;  I  am  going  to  drive  to  my  father's  to 
night  ;  it  is  only  ten  miles,  and  there  you  will  find  a  place, 
though  it  is  a  rough  log  cabin  in  the  woods,  that  is  not 
so  cheerless.  And  my  mother,  one  of  the  best  and  kindest- 
hearted  women  in  the  world,  will  make  you  as  welcome  as  I 
am.  And  my  sisters — the  oldest  is  about  your  age,  and  the 
youngest  not  much  older  than  your  little  girl,  will  make  you 


GREEN -MO  UN  TAIN      GIRLS.  257 

feel  at  home  as  long  as  you  will  stay.  And  such  a  supper 
as  they  will  give  us — and  you  shall  have  as  good  a  bed 
as  a  queen.  Oh  !  you  need  not  say  strangers.  Do  you 
think  my  mother  would  not  welcome  you  as  warmly  as  I 
would  ?  It  is  because  you  do  not  know  her.  You  need  not 
say  it  is  so  kind  in  me  ;  my  mother  would  not  love  me  if  I 
was  not  so  to  every  other  mother  ;  my  sisters  would  not 
care  to  kiss  me  every  time  I  come  home,  if  they  thought  I 
had  been  unkind  to  anybody  else's  sisters.  I  thank  God 
daily  that  I  have  such  a  mother,  and  I  love  Him  all  the 
more,  that  I  love  my  sisters  so  well.  Come  with  me,  then, 
and  see  them.  They  never  will  stop  to  inquire  who  you 
are — what  you  are — or  what  you  came  here  for,  if  I  say  to 
them,  mother,  sisters,  here  is  a  lady — a  mother  and  her  child, 
who  need  your  kind  care  and  attention.  You  will  soon  feel 
how  welcome  you  are.  To-morrow  I  will  let  my  brother  go 
on  with  the  mail,  and  I  will  come  back  and  see  if  I  can  find 
your  friends.  Will  you  come  ?" 

There  was  a  slight  hesitation  upon  the  part  of  Alida. 
She  felt,  if  they  did  not  ask  who  she  was,  that  she  should  be 
under  obligations  for  their  kind  hospitality,  to  tell  her  story. 
They  would  naturally  ask  if  she  was  a  widow — if  Celestine 
was  an  orphan.  She  must  tell  the  truth,  and  yet  could 
strangers  sympathise  with  her  ?  Perhaps  they  knew  her  hus 
band  as  the  husband  of  another  woman.  To  know  that  he 
had  another  wife,  might  blast  him,  and  do  her  no  good.  She 
began  to  feel  the  force  of  Celestine's  question — "  Ma,  what 
did  you  come  here  for  ?" 

She  felt  that  she  could  not  go  among  such  kind  friends  as 


258  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

she  felt  this  stage-driver's  family  must  be,  for  the  influence 
of  that  mother's  character,  and  those  sisters'  love  had  been 
impressed  upon  his  own.  He  might  have  been  born  in  a  log- 
cabin,  bred  in  the  wild  woods,  and  employed  in  the  ordinary 
occupation  of  a  common  mail- carrier,  yet  he  was  by  nature, 
and  the  force  of  circumstances,  a  gentleman.  It  was  no 
wonder  that  his  mother  and  sisters  loved  him.  If  Alida 
did  not  love  him,  she  felt  a  grateful  feeling  of  respect,  and 
because  she  felt  it,  she  hesitated  the  more  to  accept  the 
offer  of  his  hospitality  ;  but  Celestine  had  none  of  her  fears, 
none  of  her  reasons  for  refusing.  She  looked  up  a  moment 
in  her  mother's  moistening  eye,  and  slid  down  from  her  lap, 
and  went  over  to  where  he  sat,  put  her  arms  around  his 
neck,  and  looked  up  so  sweetly,  so  full  of  childlike  innocent 
simplicity,  as  she  said  ;  "  I  thank  you,  sir,  for  my  ma, 
'cause  she  feels  bad,  and  don't  want  to  talk  now,  but  she  will 
go,  I  know  she  will,  for  I  don't  want  to  stay  here.  I  had 
rather  stay  with  your  ma,  for  she  is  a  good  ma,  I  know  she 
is,  'cause  you  are  good,  and  so  kind  to  my  ma,  and  I  love 
you  for  it." 

Oh  !  what  would  half  the  world  give  for  the  happiness  of 
that  moment,  to  that  man,  as  he  pressed  her  in  his  arms, 
and  received  her  sweet  kiss  of  innocent  affection. 

"  I  have,"  said  he  to  me,  about  two  years  ago,  while  relat 
ing  the  incident,  "  had  my  share  of  the  enjoyments  of  this 
life,  but  never  felt  anything  equal  to  the  exquisite  sensation 
that  called  forth  the  tears  shed  over  that  child.  I  have 
often  thought  too,  how  very  cheaply  it  was  purchased. 
Only  a  few  pleasant  smiles,  and  kind  words,  and  acts  of 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  259 

natural  politeness  through  the  day,  and  the  offer  of  hospital 
ity  for  the  night,  mixed  with  a  proper  token  of  respect  for 
my  mother — now,  I  trust,  in  heaven — and  the  remembrance 
of  this  little  incident,  I  do  believe,  has  had  an  influence 
upon  all  my  conduct  in  after  life.  It  has  made  me  strive  to 
win  the  love  of  children,  and  the  respect  of  their  mothers, 
by  little  pleasant  attentions  upon  the  great  thoroughfare 
through  life." 

"  Johnson,^'  said  I,  "  I  have  long  known  you  as  one  of 
the  most  popular  and  pleasing  railroad*  conductors  in  the 
United  States.  I  can  now  trace  cause  and  effect." 

"Yes,  and  a  true  source  of  human  happiness.  That 
little  girl  decided  her  mother's  course  that  night,  and  mine 
through  life.  "What  would  I  give  to  know  what  ever 
became  of  her  ?  I  never  saw  or  heard  of  her  afterwards." 

"  Then  she  did  not  go  home  with  you.     Why  not  ?" 

"We  started  for  that  purpose,  and  as  I  had  become 
interested  in  the  mother  and  daughter,  both  of  whom  were 
so  handsome — and  the  mother  had  such  an  expression  of 
heavenly  beauty,  that  I  could  not  help  thinking  she  would 
make  one  of  the  company  of  celestials  very  soon.  I  kept 
up  our  conversation,  hoping  to  wear  off  the  fatigue  of  the 
ride,  as  it  appeared  to  me  hfcr  power  of  endurance  was  well 
nigh  exhausted.  It  was  one  of  those  bright  moonlight 
autumn  nights,  such  as  it  does  appear  to  me  never  shone  as 
splendid  in  any  other  region  of  the  world  as  among  the 
mountains  of  our  state,  up  near  the  Canada  line.  I  began 
to  call  her  attention  to  the  various  objects  along  the  road, 
and  related  various  anecdotes  of  the  owners  of  several 


260  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

farms  we  passed,  and  among  the  rest  of  a  gang  of  counter 
feiters,  or,  at  any  rate,  men  who  dealt  in  counterfeit  money, 
and  perhaps  added  horse-stealing  to  the  business,  and  how 
some  of  the  leading  men  of  the  village,  among  them  Risley, 
the  owner  of  tha£  delectable  hotel,  and  several  of  the  best 
farmers  in  the  neighborhood  were  suspected  of  being 
engaged  in  the  business,  all  of  whom  had  been  smugglers 
during  the  late  war.  Here  liv.es  one  of  tjie  gang*/'  said  I, 
pointing  to  the  iouse,  "who  ought  toibejffiflfriffied  of  him 
self,  for  he  has ,a.«good  farm,  and  ^'Jre^jffl^toork  it  he 
might  be  "rich  ;  he  ought  to  be,-  #r'any  rare*#6r  when  he 
came  here 'seven  years  ago,- he /brought' oter  a  thousand 
dollars  in  gold,  which  he  exchanged,  so-$j8|$,say,for  bogus, 
three  for  one,  and  passed  it  all  offe^iihlfiinbeiiig  detected  ; 
but  he  will  catch  it  some  day,*  for 'he  drinks  like  a  sot,  and 
Risley  has  got  him  completely  under  his  thumb.  But  that 
is  not  all ;  if  the  peddler's*  story  is  true,  he  ought  to  be 
hung,  for  he  robbed  a  poor  widow  of  the  money  he  brought 
here  at  first. 

"There  was  a  slight  groan  behind  me,  but  I  thought  it 
was  because  the  lady  was  so  much  tired  out  by  her  journey, 
and  so  I  said  some  comforting  word,  as  to  the  road  being 
better  now,  and  we  would  drive  faster.  We  were  just  now 
opposite  the  house,  a  double-hewed  log  one,  of  two  low 
stories,  and  a  kitchen  at  the  back,  and  a  bed-room  off  one 
end  as  a  sort  of  lean-to.  Altogether  it  was  a  pretty  good- 
looking  place,  only  that  there  was  an  air  of  neglect  visible 
in  everything,  that  told  almost  as  plain  as  words  that  the 
owner  was  a  drunkard. 


GREE'N -MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  261 

"  This,"  said  I,  "  is  where  one  of  the  gang  lives — the  one 
who  came  here  with  the  gold,  and  a  sweet  young  wife — they 
have  three  children  now,  and  might  live  so.  independent  and 
happy,  but  they  arc  not,  for  I  believe  the  fellow  is  haunted 
with  his  wicked  conscience,  and  tries  to  drown  it  in  whisky. 
I  have  heard:  that  he  w.as  raised  in  a  distillery." 

"  '  What  is  his-inagie  ?'  said  the  feeble  voice  of  the  lady  on 
the  back  seat. 

"  Brandon — Kat  Brandon." 

" '  Oh  God,'  was  the  reply,  and  the  words  sounded  as 
though  they  came  from  another  world.  It  did  not  seem  as 
if  she  had  spoken  them,  or  could  have  given  them  utterance, 
so  unearthly  was  the  sound  of  her  voice.  The  little  girl 
was  leaning  her  head  upon  her  mother's  lap,  asleep,  but  she 
started  up  and  cried,  '  Ma,  Oh,  ma,  what  is  the  matter  ?' 
I  stopt  the  horses,  jumpt  off,  and  ran  back  and  caught  her 
as  she  was  about  falling  out  upon  the  wheel  ;  the  sides  of 
the  wagon  being  open,  and  she  had  attempted  to  rise  up 
and  had  fainted.  I  lifted  her  in  my  arms  as  though  she  had 
been  a  little  child,  for  I  thought  she  was  dying,  and  I  was 
sadly  frightened,  and  carried  her  into  the  house  without 
ceremony,  consigning  her  to  the  care  of  Mrs.  Brandon,  who, 
though  not  a  very  refined  woman,  nevertheless  had  all  the 
fine  feelings  of  her  sex  for  a  fellow  creature  in  distress,  and 
with  her  assistance,  we  soon  revived  her  from  her  swoon  ; 
and  I  do  think,  I  never  have  seen  so  beautiful  a  picture  in  . 
my  life,  as  the  one  in  that  little  lean-to  bed-room  that  night. 

The  invalid  was  of  a  light,  delicate  form,  with  clear  white 
skin,  with  a  delicate  blush  upon  the  cheeks,  a  mild,  bright 


262  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

blue  eye,  fine  brown  hair,  upon  a  perfect  head,  high  forehead, 
oval  face,  slim  neck,  rather  large  mouth  when  open,  and 
such  a  smile — heavens,  I  never  shall  forget  it.  Her  child 
was  like,  and  yet  unlike  her.  It  struck  me  all  day  that  she 
strongly  resembled  some  one  I  knew.  The  mother  lay  with 
her  pallid  face,  and  slightly  deranged  hair,  upon  that  clean 
white  pillow  ;  the  little  girl,  with  one  of  her  mother's  hands 
clasped  in  both  of  hers,  stood  by  the  bed,  or  rather  half 
inclined  over  on  the  pillow,  with  her  pretty  face  beside  her 
mother's,  while  Mrs.  Brandon  stood,  with  a  cup  of  tea  in 
her  hand,  kindly  offering  it  to  her  patient.  Mrs.  B.  bore  a 
most  striking  contrast  to  the  other.  She  was  short,  com 
pact  built,  stout,  full  face,  with  eyes  so  black  and  sharp  that 
they  seemed  to  emit  electric  sparks,  her  hair  shining  jet 
black,  and  her  skin  quite  dark — in  short,  a  perfect  specimen 
of  those  fine-formed,  fascinating  French  girls  of  Lower 
Canada. 

"  Such  were  some  of  the  features  of  the  picture  that  I 
stood  gazing  at,  almost  forgetful  that  I  had  seven  miles 
more  to  drive,  until  aroused  by  the  clock  just  behind  me, 
striking  nine.  I  then  said,  good-night,  and  gave  her  my 
hand,  which  she  clasped  with  energy,  and  pulled  herself  up, 
saying,  '  Oh,  no;  not  good  night,  pray  take  me  with  you — I 
must  go — I  cannot  stay  here — anywhere  else  but  here — they 
will  kill  me  when  they  find  who  I  am — do  take  me.' " 

"  I  said  it  was  impossible.  I  whispered  to  Mrs.  Brandon, 
'  she  is  wild — it  is  only  the  fatigue  and  excitement  of  the  jour 
ney — she  will  be  over  it  in  the  morning,  and  then  she  will  go 
to  her  friends,  who  live  near  here.  Take  good  care  of  her, 


GHEEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  263 

and  if  she  does  not  pay  you,  I  will.  Good-night.'  She  did 
not  hear  me.  She  was  in  a  sort  of  stupor,  or  kind  of  sleep 
often  following  a  fainting  fit,  or  undue  excitement.  The 
little  girl  did  hear,  and  ran  to  me,  and  put  her  arms  around 
my  neck,  and  kissed  me,  and  said,  '  My  ma  is  asleep,  and 
cannot  say  good-night,  but  I  will  for  her,  and  thank  you 
too,  you  have  been  so  kind  to  her.'  Depend  upon  it,  sir, 
there  is  a  germ  of  goodness  in  that  child's  heart,  which,  unless 
sadly  abused,  will  bring  an  abundance  of  good  fruit.  I  only 
know  that  she  was  a  most  perfect  specimen  of  a  Green 
Mountain  Girl.  How  I  should  like  to  know  her  fate." 

Perhaps  he  soon  will.     It  is  told  in  this  volume. 

"  I  promised  to  come  and  see  them  next  week,  when 
I  came  back  with  the  mail,  and  again  said,  good-night — but 
I  never  did  see  them  again  ;  I  only  heard  that  she  was  a 
deserted  wife  of  that  villain,  Nat  Brandon." 

"  Did  you  call,  when  you  came  back  the  next  week  ?" 

"  No,  for  I  never  came  back." 

"  Never — why,  what  was  the  reason  ?" 

"  Never,  or  that  is,  for  more  than  a  year,  and  then  I  was 
a  passenger,  and  not  a  driver  of  the  mail.  I  will  tell  you 
why,  some  time,  when  you  have  nothing  better  to  do,  than 
listen  to  a  tale  I  rarely  tell — it  awakens  unpleasant  recollec 
tions." 

"  Still  I  should  like  to  hear  it — to  learn  what  could  have 
kept  you  from  those  in  whom  you  had  become  so  deeply 
interested." 

"  Well,  you  shall,  but  let  us  to-bed  now,  and  to-morrow 
evening  you  shall  hear  it." 


264  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  stage-driver's  story — Sickness  and  delirium— The  power  of  a  strong  will  over 
disease — The  power  of  will  in  saving  life — Winter — Wood-chopping — A  perilous 
position — Singular  calmness  of  preparation  to  avert  death — Certain,  inevitable 
death — Echo  and  its  effect — Hope  and  its  glorious  outshining  upon  the  woods 
around  the  dying  prisoner — His  escape  and  tiresome  journey  home — Man's  faith 
ful  friend,  the  dog,  rescues  his  master  by  his  wonderful  intelligence. 

"  AH,  Johnson,  good  evening.      Now  shall  we  have  the 
balance  of  that  story  ?" 

"  Yes.  Come  up  to  my  room  where  we  can  be  quiet." 
"  Well,  that  very  night  I  was  taken  sick,  and  had  a  long 
run  of  severe  typhus  fever.  For  four  weeks  I  was  delirious, 
and  all  that  time  fancied  that  my  two  sisters  were  my  late 
passengers,  and  that  my  mother  was  Mrs.  Brandon,  and  all 
my  conversation  tended  in  that  direction.  Good  nursing 
and  a  strong  constitution,  together  with  another  strong 
trait  of  my  nature,  the  love  of  life,  and  will  to  preserve  it, 
as  I  will  prove  to  you  directly,  carried  me  through,  and  I 
got  well  enough  to  go  to  work  again.  My  brother  liked 
the  business  of  carrying  the  mail  better  than  I  did,  and  so 
I  went  to  work  in  a  new  clearing  I  had  commenced  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  home,  and  not  quite  so  far  from  the 
house  of  a  brother-in-law.  I  used  to  stay  about  as  often  at 
one  place  as  the  other.  It  was  a  bad  arrangement,  as  in 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  265 

case  of  accident,  neither  family  would  be  alarmed  or  go 
to  look  for  me  if  I  should  not  come  home.  I  felt  the  force 
of  this  in  the  course  of  the  winter,  and  so  will  you  directly. 

"There  had  fallen  one  of  our  old-fashioned,  Northern 
New  York  snows,  crusted  over  hard  enough  to  bear  a  man. 
I  was  getting  on  famously  with  my  clearing,  getting  ready 
to  build  a  house  in  the  spring,  and  all  the  time  building 
castles,  the  foundation  of  which  is  always  above  the  reach 
of  mortals.  It  is  curious  that  the  presiding  princess  of  all 
my  castles  was  my  late  passenger  and  her  angel  daughter. 
Not  that  I  hoped  to  have  her  to  preside  over  the  hewed 
log  one  that  I  intended  to  build  with  a  firmer  foundation 
than  air,  but  I  did  think  that  I  should  try  for  one  of  the 
same  sort.  I  was  ambitious,  and  worked  early  and  late, 
going  without  my  dinner  some  days,  when  the  piece  of 
bread  and  meat  I  brought  in  my  pocket  was  frozen  so  that 
I  could  not  masticate  it,  without  taking  np  too  much  of  my 
time.  I  did  so  upon  the  last  day  of  my  chopping  ;  it  was 
intensely  cold,  with  a  prospect  of  a  storm,  that  might 
hinder  my  work  the  next  day,  and  so  I  worked  on  as  long 
as  I  could  see,  and  after  twilight  I  felled  a  tree  which  in  its 
descent  lodged  against  another.  I  could  not  bear  the  idea 
of  leaving  ^the  job  half  finished,  and  mounted  the  almost 
prostrate  body  to  cut  away  a  limb  to  let  it  down. 

The  bole  of  the  tree  forked  about  forty  feet  up,  into  two 
equal  parts,  with  large  projecting  limbs  from  both.  It  was 
one  of  these  that  I  had  to  cut  away  to  bring  it  to  the  ground. 
In  my  haste,  perhaps,  I  was  not  as  careful  as  I  should  have 
been  ;  at  any  rate  the  first  few  blows  eased  the  lodgment  so 

12 


266  GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

that  the  tree  began  to  settle,  and  I  was  jost  going  to  jump 
off,  when  the  fork  split,  aud  one  foot  dropped  into  the  space 
so  that  I  could  not  extricate  it  for  the  moment,  but  I  felt  no 
alarm,  for  I  knew  that  I  could  cut  away  the  tree  in  a  minute, 
or  perhaps  draw  my  foot  out  of  the  boot,  as  the  pressure  was 
not  severe.  At  the  first  blow  of  the  axe,  the  tree  took 
another  start,  rolled  over,  and  the  split  closed  with  the  full 
force  of  its  giant  strength,  crushing  my  foot  till  the  very 
bones  were  flattened,  like  the  stems  and  leaves  of  a  flower 
pressed  between  the  sheets  of  a  book,  by  a  heavy  weight  : 
and  there  I  hung  suspended,  just  able  to  touch  the  points  of 
my  fingers  to  the  snow,  with  nothing  to  rest  upon  a  moment 
— the  air  at  zero,  and  growing  colder,  no  prospect  of  any 
one  coming  that  way,  that  night,  the  nearest  house  a  mile 
away,  no  friends  to  feel  alarmed  at  my  absence,  for  one 
would  suppose  me  safe  with  the  other.  My  first  thought 
was,  '  Oh  my  mother,  it  will  kill  my  mother  to  learn  how  I 
died,  so  near  her,  almost  within  call  of  her  voice,  thus  to 
perish,  thus  to  break  her  heart.  It  must  not  be — it  shall 
not  be — I  will  live.' 

"  But  how  ?  My  axe  in  its  fall,  rested  upon  the  snow- 
crust  %J)out  ten  feet  off.  If  I  could  only  get  that,  I  could 
yet  save  myself.  I  did  not  think  how  I  was  to  cut  my  foot 
loose  from  the  body  of  that  great  tree,  suspended  as  I  was, 
with  my  head  down,  and  suffused  with  the  rushing  current 
of  disordered  blood,  but  I  thought  in  that  keen  blade,  my 
only  hope  of  life  was  fixed.  Just  forward  of  me,  but  out 
of  reach,  grew  a  slim  bush,  which  I  thought  if  I  could 
obtain,  I  could  form  into  a  hook,  by  twisting  the  limbs 


"There  I  hung  suspended,  ju<t  able  to  touch  the  points  of  my  fingers  to  the 
snow,  with  nothing  to  rest  upon  a  moment — the  air  at  zero,  and  growing  colder, 
no  prospect  of  any  one  coming  that  way,  that  night,  the  nearest  house  a  mile 
away."— PACK  26«. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  267 

together  and  draw  the  axe  within  my  reach.  But  that  bush 
was  about  a  foot  too  far  away  for  my  utmost  exertion.  I 
tried  to  put  the  loose  foot  against  the  tree,  and  give  my 
body  an  oscillating  motion  till  I  swung  within  reach,  but  it 
would  not  do.  You  may  wonder  how  I  could  think  and  act 
all  this  time,  in  such  torture  as  a  crushed  foot  must  give. 
/  did  not  fed  it.  Hope,  and  my  mother,  absorbed  all  my 
faculties.  I  did  not  fear  to  die,  yet  I  desired  to  live,  and  so 
went  on  calmly  with  my  work,  to  avert  death.  Oh,  how  I 
toiled  to  reach  that  bush,  for  without  that  I  had  no  hope 
of  reaching  my  axe  ;  yet  I  could  only  touch  it  as  I  swung 
that  way  with  the  tips  of  my  fingers — I  could  not  grasp  it. 
Yet  hope  did  not  forsake  me — my  failure  only  drove  me  to 
expedients — to  an  exercise  of  ingenuity,  to  accomplish  by 
mechanical  force,  what  unassisted  nature  could  not  do.  I 
took  off  my  suspenders,  a  stout  pair  of  woollen  yarn,  knit  by 
my  young  sister  as  a  Christmas  present,  and  now  I  thought, 
prepared  by  her  to  save  my  life.  I  tied  them  together,  and 
swung  them  around  toward  the  bush,  and  the  loose  end 
wound  about  it,  and  clung  as  tight  as  though  tied  in  a 
double  knot. 

"  I  pulled  the  bush  now  within  reach,  and  cut  it  off  with 
my  pocket-knife — one  of  that  sort  so  long  known  by  the 
name  of  '  Barlow  knives  ;'  having  a  single  blade  about  two 
and  a  half  inches  long,  and  three-eighths  of -an  inch  wide,  of 
equal  width  all  its  length,  set  in  a  handle  of  a  peculiar  form, 
half  its  length  iron,  and  half  horn  or  bone.  I  never  shall 
forget  its  appearance,  for  I  have  a  sort  of  reverence  for  the 
very  name.  I  succeeded  admirably  in  fashioning  my  hook, 


268  GREEN-MO UX TAIN      GIRLS. 

and  almost  felt  the  handle  of  the  axe  in  my  grasp,  so 
certain  was  I  of  success.  The  stars  were  now  glittering  in 
the  sky,  and  I  looked  upon  the  glistening  metal  of  that  piece 
of  iron  and  steel  as  it  lay  sparkling  in  the  star-light,  with 
more  pleasure  than  ever  a  miser  looked  upon  his  shining 
gold.  I  thought  I  could  kiss  its  cold  surface  with  pleasure, 
notwithstanding  the  frost  in  it  would  skin  my  lips.  I  had 
still  made  no  calculation,  any  more  than  the  miser,  how  I 
was  to  use  my  treasure  when  I  obtained  it,  because  like  him, 
my  whole  soul  was  absorbed  in  its  pursuit.  I  felt  nothing — 
heard  nothing — saw  nothing  but  that  one  bright  spot  upon 
the  snow,  that  single  treasure  that  I  should  soon  call  my 
own — that  of  all  others  the  most  precious — only  earthly 
treasure  worth  possessing.  At  length,  I  was  ready  to  take 
possession — ready  for  the  felicity  of  once  more  grasping  the 
handle  of  that  teen  blade,  and  I  extended  my  staff,  and 
slipped  the  loop  I  had  formed  of  the  limbs  over  the  end  of 
the  helve.  1  could  have  laughed  or  cried  with  joy  at  the 
success  of  my  plan.  My  mother,  I  exclaimed,  or  thought, 
I  do  not  know  which,  I  shall  see  you  once  more.  My 
sisters,  I  shall  again  clasp  you  to  my  lips  and  heart.  My 
father — my  brother,  you  will  not  have  to  mourn  me  dead. 
I  was  happy.  I  have  stated  that  the  deep  snow  was  crusted 
over  with  ice.  From  the  tree  that  imprisoned  me,  the  ground 
descended  rapidly  for  a  dozen  rods  or  more,  to  a  little  creek. 
My  axe  lay  upon  the  brow  of  this  hill.  The  very  first 
movement  I  made  towards  twisting  the  loop  of  my  stick 
around  the  handle  so  as  to  draw  it  within  my  reach,  loosened 
it  from  its  icy  rest,  and  away  it  went  down  the  hill  with  the 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  269 

speed  of  the  boy  upon  his  sled,  crashing  through  the  little 
frost-brittle-bushes,  down  upon  the  ice  of  the  creek,  down 
that  to  a  little  fall  a  few  rods  below,  and  over  that  into  the 
unfrozen  pool,  with  a  surging  sound  as  it  fell  in  the  water, 
that  seemed  to  send  its  icy  chill  through  every  vein  and 
artery  in  my  whole  body,  congealing  the  very  heart's-blood 
to  ice,  for  it  crushed  all  hope,  and  left  the  mind  one  chaos 
of  black  despair.  Here  then  must  I  die  without  hope,  I 
exclaimed  aloud  in  my  agony.  The  woods  wore  their  wintry 
stillness — the  stillness  of  a  calm,  cold,  night.  It  was  a  night 
for  Echo  to  be  abroad,  and  this  lovely  daughter  of  air  and 
earth,  faithful  to  the  command  of  Juno,  sent  back  the  final 
word. 

"  Hope  !  Blessed  word  ;  how  it  rang  through  that  old 
wood.  It  came  up  the  hill  from  that  little  water-fall,  where 
I  thought  all  hope  had  sunk.  It  climbed  the  trees,  and 
dropped  down  all  around  me  from  every  pendant  twig  ;  it 
glittered  in  every  star  ;  and  glistened  sparkling  bright  from 
every  shining  particle  of  frost ;  it  came  to  my  ear  again  and 
again  in  soft  soothing  tones  ;  it  was  the  music  of  echo,  echo 
ing  hope  to  my  soul  ;  and  it  told  me  in  language  never  to  be 
forgotten,  '  there  is  no  place  on  earth  ;  no  position  in  which 
man  can  be  placed,  if  he  will  only  open  his  heart  to  hope, 
that  she  will  not  come  in  and  abide  with  him.'  The  echo 
of  that  word  saved  my  life. 

"  My  axe  was  gone  ;  why  should  I  pine  for  an  inevitable 
loss  ?  I  still  had  my  knife.  True,  it  was  a  rude  surgical 
instrument,  but  hope  gave  it  a  charmed  edge,  and  the  love 
of  life  gave  me  strength  to  climb  np  by  my  fastened  leg,  and 


270  GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

cut  away  the  boot  and  stocking,  and  then  with  that  knife,  I 
unjointed  my  ancle  and  fell  to  the  ground  ;  my  left  leg  a 
footless,  bleeding  stump.  The  intensity  of  the  cold  saved 
me  from  bleeding  to  death.  I  tore  off  a  part  of  my  coat, 
and  with  my  handkerchief  and  suspenders  managed  to  bind 
up  my  leg  with  a  handful  of  snow,  and  started  to  crawl 
home.  I  could  have  gone  nearer  to  my  sisters,  but  I  knew 
a  mother's  love,  a  mother's  care  ;  and  besides,  I  was  perish 
ing  with  thirst  ;  and  I  knew  that  thei'e  was  a  spring  a  little 
upon  one  side  of  the  path,  which  I  must  reach  or  die.  It 
was  a  hard  thing  to  turn  aside,  and  go  back  and  forth 
almost  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  with  my  hands  cut  upon  the  icy 
crust  till  they  marked  a  track  of  blood.  The  journey  from 
the  path  to  the  spring  was  the  hardest  task  of  that  night, 
and  hope  almost  forsook  me,  but  she  came  back  with  the 
first  lave  in  the  pure  water,  and  I  succeeded  in  reaching 
within  sight,  and  I  hoped  within  call,  of  the  house,  and  then 
my  strength  utterly  failed  me.  I  could  see  my  father 
sitting  before  the  great  kitchen  fire,  busily  engaged  making 
for  me  a  new  axe  helve.  My  mother  sat  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  fire,  knitting.  I  knew  she  was  finishing  me  the  last  of  a 
pair  of  stockings  She  little  thought  that  one  would  suffice. 
My  sisters  were  busy  around  the  91%,  and  that  gave  me 
hope,  for  I  knew  that  they  were  preparing  supper  for  my 
brother,  whom  they  expected  every  moment  with  the  mail. 
I  had  tried  my  voice  in  vain,  and  I  could  not  make  them 
hear.  I  exerted  myself  once  more,  and  crawled  towards 
the  road  that  Heman  must  come.  It  was  a  painful  task, 
for  besides  my  exhaustion,  I  was  perishing  with  cold.  Just 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  271 

then  I  heard  the  sweetest  strains  of  music  that  ever  fell 
upon  mortal  ears.  It  was  the  sound  of  my  brother's  stage- 
horn,  and  the  jingle  of  his  bells  coming  down  the  hill — 
now  he  is  crossing  the  bridge — now  he  is  coming  up  slowly 
on  this  side,  and  the  bells  make  but  little  noise — now  is  my 
time  to  halloo,  for  if  I  wait  for  him  to  get  opposite,  he 
cannot  hear,  and  will  drive  past  with  race-horse  speed,  and 
I  am  lost.  I  strained  my  voice  to  its  utmost  pitch,  but  he 
did  not,  could  not  hear  ;  but  there  was  with  him,  another 
friend  ;  man's  faithful  friend,  who  did  hear.  Old  Hunter,  the 
noble  old  dog,  had  insisted  upon  going  with  him  that  trip, 
and  brother  said,  '  let  him  go  ;  who  knows  what  good  may 
come  of  it  ?'  Good  did  come  of  it,  for  his  ear  was  quicker 
than  Heman's,  and  he  roused  up  at  the  first  cry  ;  Heman 
said  '  lay  still,  Hunter,  we  are  almost  home  ;'  but  Hunter 
would  not  lay  still,  and  as  the  second  cry  reached  his  ear, 
he  leaped  out  and  in  a  minute  was  at  the  spot  where  I  lay 
upon  the  snow.  He  smelt  all  around,  and  I  held  up  my 
footless  leg,  and  said,  away  Hunter — stop  him.  Just  then, 
the  sleigh  had  got  up  the  hill,  and  I  heard  the  whip  crack, 
telling  as  plain  as  I  could  speak,  Heman's  thoughts  ;  now 
for  a  race  old  Hunter,  down  to  the  house.  Hunter  sprang 
back  into  the  path  and  barked  loudly,  and  as  the  horses 
came  up,  he  jumped  up,  seized  the  reins,  and  would  not  let 
go  till  Heman  called  a  halt." 

" '  What  is  it,    Hunter  ?     something    must    be   wrong. 
What  is  it,  my  good  dog  ?  come  here  and  tell  me.' " 

"  Hunter  let  go  his  hold  of  the  horses,  jumped  back  to 
the  sleigh,  and  caught  hold  of  Heman's  hand,  pulling  off  the 


272  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

mitten,  and  away  he  ran  back  to  where  I  was,  and  com 
menced  barking  furiously  ;  but  I  heard  nothing — the  effect 
upon  me  when  I  knew  that  I  was  discovered  by  that  faithful 
old  dog,  and  that  he  never  would  desert  me,  or  cease  his 
efforts,  until  he  obtained  help,  had  caused  a  syncope.  My 
brother  knew  that  Hunter  was  not  at  play — that  something 
serious  was  the  matter,  and  he  jumped  out  of  the  sleigh,  and 
ran  after  him. 

"  In  an  almost  incredible  short  space  after  that,  he  dashed 
up  to  the  kitchen  door  with  the  sleigh,  upsetting  mother's 
wash-tubs,  and  buckets,  and  kettles,  in  his  hot  haste — cry 
ing  out  as  he  did  so  ;  '  Father — mother — help — help — 
Theron  is  dead  !'  as  he  lifted  me  out  of  the  sleigh,  and 
kicked  open  the  door,  and  handing  his  burden  into  the 
hands  of  my  father,  said,  '  take  him — take  him,  father — I 
am  going  for  the  doctor,'  and  away  he  dashed  nearly  two 
miles,  sprang  out  of  his  sleigh,  and  into  the  doctor's  house 
at  a  bound,  fairly  lifted  him  out  of  his  arm-chair  asleep,  and 
had  him  wrapt  in  the  buffalo  skins  in  the  sleigh,  and  the 
horses  tearing  down  the  lane,  before  the  doctor  was  fully 
aware  of  where  he  was  going,  or  who  had  carried  him 
off. 

"  Glorious  fellow,  that  Heman,  wan't  he.  Ah  well,  he 
would  have  done  more  than  that  for  his  brother,  but  that 
was  enough  ;  his  promptitude  saved  my  life  ;  for  as  soon  as 
they  brought  me  in  the  warm  room,  the  blood  started,  and 
if  it  had  not  been  for  the  skill  of  that  good  old  doctor,  I 
should  not  have  been  sitting  here  at  midnight,  telling  you 
my  story  of  border  life.  Let's  go  to  bed." 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  2f3 

"Stop  a  moment — that  foot  of  yours — is  it —  ?" 

"  Yes  ;    nothing  bat  cork.     I  never  tell  any  one,   and 

nobody  suspects  that  I  am  a  little  deficient  in  my  under' 

standing." 


10* 


214         GREEN- MOUNTAIN  GIRLS. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Alida  and  Maria  Louisa — Two  wives  in  the  house  of  one  husband— Alida  awakes 
and  finds  herself  in  a  strange  place— A  night  scene— Female  dignity  quails  a 
villain— A  blow  and  its  consequences — Oh !  is  that  man  my  husband— Honor 
among  thieves— Its  value— Their  plans  to  entrap  a  partner,  and  make  him  a 
scape-goat — A  stranger  robbed,  and  Nat  Brandon  suspected — One  witness  too 
many — Nat  creeps  like  a  thief  into  his  own  house — Bitter  reflections  of  "  How  the 
world  will  point  at  a  felon's  children."— The  escape,  pursuit  and  capture— A  stee 
ple-chase,  six  to  one  ;  five  are  distanced ;  four  down  in  the  mud — The  arrest — 
trial — conviction — sentence — Life  ends  in  the  penitentiary. 

WHEN  Alida  awoke  again,  it  was  late  at  night — pro 
bably  past  the  middle,  and  she  was  alone  with  Celestine, 
who  was  sleeping  sweetly  by  her  side.  A  candle  was  burn 
ing  upon  the  little  table  by  the  bed-side,  which  showed  by 
the  short  wick  that  some  one  had  just  left  it.  There  was 
a  glass  of  water,  and  the  cup  of  tea  which  had  been  offered 
her  some  hours  before,  and  several  little  delicacies  of  food  to 
tempt  the  appetite,  if  she  should  awaken  thirsty  or  hungry. 
Yarious  little  attentions  had  been  given  to  make  the  sick 
stranger  comfortable  and  welcome,  all  of  which  Alida  took 
in  at  a  glance,  and  then  thought : 

"  Would  she  treat  me  thus,  if  she  knew  that  I  was  his 
lawful  wife,  and  had  a  right  to  claim  her  husband  from 
her  ?" 

Poor  girl !  she  did  not  know  that  exactly  the  reverse  was 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  275 

the  truth — that  Maria  Louise  was  the  lawful  wife,  and 
herself  the  wronged  one  in  every  sense  of  the  word. 

"  What  shall  I  do,"  continued  Alida.  "I  shall  be  hated  as 
goon  as  known  ;  I  cannot  remain  here  a  single  day  ;  I 
cannot  think  of  leaving  my  child  with  such  a  man — although 
he  is  her  father.  What  shall  I  do  ?" 

She  unconsciously  spoke  the  last  sentence  aloud.  She 
was  answered  by  the  voice  of  a  drunken  man  in  the  next 
room,  groping  about  in  the  dark,  and  trying  to  find  the  latch 
of  her  door. 

"  Do  !  Why  the  h — 11  don't  you  get  up,  old  woman, 
and  bring  me  a  light,  and  get  some  supper.  You  are  always 
abed  'afore  I  get  home.  Open  the  door,  I  say." 

"  Xot  there — Oh  not  there.  Wait  a  minute,  and  I  will 
get  a  light,"  said  another  voice. 

"Not  there — why  not  there  ;  I  should  like  to  know — 
Can't  I  go  where  I  please  in  my  own  house  ?" 

"  Yes,  yes,  but  there  is  a  lady  in  bed  there." 

"  A  lady — well  who  is  she  ?  I  want  to  see  who  you  have 
got.  I  don't  know  about  its  being  a  lady.  I  tell  you  what 
it  is  old,  woman,  if  I  find  a  man — if  you  have  got  a  man  in 
here,  I  will  cut  his  throat.  Let  go  of  me." 

"  No,  no,  it  is  a  poor,  unfortunate  sick  woman,  that  the 
stage-driver  brought  in  here  this  evening  ;  she  faiuted  in  the 
stage." 

"  Then  I  will  have  her  out.  I  am  not  going  to  have  my 
house  turned  into  a  beggar's  hospital  when  I  am  away." 

What  a  scene  for  Alida.  It  was  Nat,  crazy  drunk,  and 
his  wife  contending  with  him  to  keep  the  brute  from  drag- 


216  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

ging  her  out  of  bed,  and  turning  her  into  the  street.  He 
made  another  effort  to  open  the  door  ;  his  wife  begged  him 
not,  and  tried  to  hold  him  back. 

"  If  you  don't  let  go  of  me,  I  will  knock  you  sprawling, 
you Canadian " 

He  added  a  blow,  and  an  epithet  of  the  most  opprobrious 
character. 

"  I  will  see  who  is  in  that  room,  or  cut  her  throat." 

"  You  shall !  Behold  the  wife  you  swore  to  cherish,  and 
love  for  ever.  The  victim  of  your  perfidy  and  robbery. 
The  almost  direct  cause  of  your  father's  and  my  mother's 
death.  Look  at  me  1" 

Alida  felt  that  it  was  time  for  her  to  act.  The  drunken, 
crazy  brute,  had  threatened  the  life  of  one  wife,  and  had 
struck  the  other.  Now  he  was  coming  to  the  door,  to  drag 
the  poor  mother  and  child  out  of  her  sick  bed,  and  turn  her 
at  midnight  into  the  street,  because  he  chose  to  call  her  a 
beggar — one  whom  common  humanity  had  taken  under  his 
roof,  without  his  consent.  She  thought,  "  he  can  but  kill 
me,  and  that  would  be  preferable  to  this  torture.  Can  this 
be  the  man  I  never  have  ceased  to  love — yes,  love  ceases 
now." 

With  these  thoughts  she  arranged  her  clothes,  which  had 
not  been  removed  when  she  lay  down,  took  the  candle  in 
her  hand,  and  opening  the  door,  uttered  those  words — 
enough  to  have  annihilated  a  man  who  had  a  heart — whose 
nature  had  not  been  blunted,  by  long  years  of  beastly  indul 
gence  in  rum. 

For  a  moment    he  was   speechless.     He    trembled   like 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  277 

a  detected  thieving  dog.  He  rallied,  and  tried  to  fawn,  but 
she  bade  him  back.  "  Do  not  touch  me.  I  did  not  come 
under  your  roof — I  fainted  at  your  door,  and  was  brought 
here  senseless,  and  found  a  kind,  ministering  angel  in  that 
other  victim  of  your  wickedness  and  rage,  on  whom  you  have 
just  inflicted  violence.  Lay  but  a  finger  on  her  again,  or 
approach  this  room  to  shame  your  child  with  the  sight  of 
her  wretched  father,  and  I  will  do  the  tardy  vengeance  of 
heaven  upon  one  so  unfit  to  live.  To-morrow,  you  shall 
take  the  road  to  the  penitentiary." 

With  these  words  ringing  in  his  ears,  she  closed  the  door 
in  his  face,  and  went  back  to  her  bed,  more  calm  than  she 
had  felt  for  years. 

His  wife  had  been  so  completely  thunderstruck  by  the- 
turn  things  had  taken,  that  she  could  not  utter  a  word. 
Alida  had  been  represented  to  her  as  ugly  as  she  was  worth 
less,  and  that  was  bad  enough.  She  never  supposed  that  she 
was  a  wife,  or  that  a  man  could  desert  one  so  beautiful,  so 
lovely.  She  had  been  taught  to  think  and  speak  of  her  as 
a  miserable  thing,  who  had  tried  to  supplant  a  lawful  wife 
in  her  husband's  affections,  and  had  met  with  a  just  punish 
ment — an  illegitimate  child.  The  truth  now,  for  the  first 
time,  illuminated  her  mind.  The  effect  of  her  sudden 
appearance,  and  her  few  words  upon  Xat,  was  enough  to 
convince  her  that  Alida  spoke  the  truth — that  that  roof 
sheltered  two  deeply  wronged  women. 

There  was  in  the  nature  of  Maria  Louise,  more  of  the 
natural  wildness  of  the  country  in  which  she  was  born,  and 
more  of  the  revengeful  nature  of  her  semi-savage  parents, 


278  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

than  Alida  had,  though  the  latter  had  uttered  a  distinct 
asseveration  of  her  intention,  to  resort  to  the  last  extremity 
left  for  an  injured  woman,  if  her  assailant  should  persist  in 
his  efforts  to  enter  her  room. 

Maria  Louise  did  not  utter  any  threat,  but  she  went 
quickly  to  the  kitchen,  and  procured  a  light,  and  almost 
instinctively,  and  without  thought  of  "  what  for,"  she  took 
in  her  right  hand,  a  long,  sharp-pointed  carving-knife.  She 
had  no  occasion  for  it — the  man  whom  she  intended  to  con 
front  and  call  villain,  had  left  the  house.  She  listened,  and 
heard  the  sound  of  his  horse's  feet  going  down  towards  the 
village. 

"Yes,  gone  back  to  Risley's,  to  steep  a  gnawing  con 
science  in  liquid  fire.  Oh,  is  that  man  my  husband,  or  is  he 
another's.  I  must  learn  which  of  us  has  the  prior  right. 

"  May  I  come  in  ?"  said  she,  at  the  door  of  Alida's  room, 
"  he  is  gone  ;  and  I  do  not  feel  as  though  I  could  wait  'till 
morning  to  learn  which  of  us  has  been  the  most  wronged." 

Although  they  had  a  long  conversation,  and  mutual 
explanations,  she  was  not  at  last  satisfied  which  had  been 
injured  most,  although  satisfied  that  in  a  legal  point  of  view, 
she  was  the  wife,  yet  iu  another  view,  she  could  not  but 
feel  that  Alida  had  the  most  holy  claim.  She  certainly  had 
upon  his  property,  and  so  far  as  the  wife  could  give  it, 
that,  she  said,  Alida  should  share.  The  husband  was  too 
worthless,  as  a  whole,  to  be  worth  dividing. 

Nat  did  go  to  Risley's,  for  he  was  his  counsellor  in  all 
emergencies  He  told  him  enough  of  his  story,  colored  as  it 
was  by  fear,  to  convince  Risley  that  he  was  in  a  fair  way  for 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  279 

the  penitentiary,  and  Risley  added  to  his  fear  by  telling  him 
that  there  was  no  doubt  that  was  what  Alida  had  come 
there  for. 

"  Your  only  chance  is  in  Canada,  but  it  is  too  late  to  start 
to-night ;  "you  must  keep  dark  through  the  day,  and  at 
night  we  will  have  everything  ready,  and  as  soon  as  all  is 
still,  you  must  ride." 

The  fact  is,  that  Risley  saw  a  chance  to  work  upon  Nat's 
fear  and  make  capital  out  of  it,  and'although  there  is  honor 
among  thieves,  there  was  not  enough  with  him  to  prevent 
him  from  sacrificing  a  companion  in  crime  for  his  own  selfish 
advantage.  The  subject  had  been  already  talked  over  by 
the  gang,  of  which  both  these  worthies  were  members,  how 
to  get  rid  of  Nat,  whose  habits  were  getting  so  bad  that 
they  were  afraid  of  him,  and  that  his  detection  would  bring 
out  some  others  never  suspected.  Nat  had  always  been  the 
tool  of  others,  rather  than  a  rogue  upon  his  own  volition. 

In  a  secret  conclave  held  the  next  day,  it  was  agreed 
that  "  sending  him  to  the  penitentiary  for  bigamy,  would  do 
the  company  no  good — let  us  make  him  a  scape-goat  for  the 
good  of  the  club.  If  he  is  to  be  '  sent  down,'  he  might  as 
well  be  sent  for  something." 

With  this  salvo  to  their  india-rubber-consciences,  it  was 
left  to  Risley  and  two  other  "  managers,"  to  arrange  things. 

In  pursuance  of  this  plan  of  operation,  the  gang  visited 
Nat  in  his  hiding-place,  one  after  another,  during  the  day, 
with  well-concocted  tales  of  proceedings  already  commenced 
to  arrest  him,  until  he  was  thoroughly  alarmed.  In  his 
distress,  he  sends  a  note  to  Willshot,  the  village  "  attorney 


280  GREEN- MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

and  counsellor  at  law,"  and  gets  a  very  polite  note  in  reply, 
that  he  is  already  "  retained,"  on  the  other  side.  That  was 
true,  but  it  was  on  the  side  of  his  companions  in  crime. 
And  he  further  added  that,  "of  course  he,  Nat,  would 
quietly  submit  to  the  arrest,  and  not  think  of  running  over 
the  line  ;  as  you  know  I  am  your  friend,  and  won't  be  hard 
on  you  at  the  trial ;  but,  you  know,  I  must  make  my  fee.  By 
the  bye,  Risley  wants  something  done  about  his  debt  before 
I  give  the  writ  to  the  sheriff." 

This  produced  the  desired  effect. 

"  What  shall  I  do  !"  was  his  exclamation  to  Risley,  who 
already  had  a  mortgage  upon  the  farm,  duly  executed  by 
Nat  and  his  wife,  but  he  now  proposed  that  he  should  give 
him  a  quit  claim  deed,  including  personal  property,  for 
which  Risley  would  furnish  him  with  money  and  a  better 
horse  than  his  own,  and  assist  him  to  get  off  that  night  in 
time  to  reach  the  line  before  morning ;  and  once  over  there, 
he  would  be  safe,  until  they  could  hush  up  this  unfortunate 
affair 

This  plan  was  all  perfected,  and  it  was  arranged  that  Nat 
should  slip  out  about  midnight,  and  go  alone  to  the  stable, 
take  his  horse  and  ride  for  Canada. 

It  does  seem  as  though  the  devil  assisted  the  wicked  in  the 
prosecution  of  their  nefarious  plans.  At  first  it  was  only 
intended  to  secrete  a  quantity  of  counterfeit  money  in  the 
pad  of  Nat's  saddle,  and  then  arrest  him  as  a  counterfeiter, 
but  it  so  happened  that  a  traveller  arrived,  and  put  up  at 
"  the  hotel,"  after  dark,  with  a  very  fine  horse,  and  he  came 
into  the  stable  while  Nat  was  seeing  where  his  horse  was 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  281 

located,  that  he  might  find  him  in  the  dark.  Nat  admired 
the  stranger's  horse  very  much,  and  asked  him  sundry  ques 
tions  about  his  age,  and  value,  which  was  very  high,  and 
thus  fixed  his  identity  in  the  gentleman's  mind.  It  was 
also  fixed  upon  his  mind  that  Nat  observed,  "  that  is  a  fine 
watch  of  yours,"  as  he  casually  drew  his  gold  lever  from  his 
pocket,  to  see  the  time  of  night. 

The  lodging-room  of  Nat  and  the  stranger  that  night, 
was  the  same,  and  in  the  morning  he  found  that  his  watch 
was  missing,  and  his  room-mate  gone.  Risley  assured  him 
"  that  it  was  impossible  that  Nat  should  have  stolen  his 
watch,  for  he  had  known  him  for  seven  years,  as  honest  a 
fellow  as  ever  lived — one  of  the  first  citizens — son  of  one  of 
the  first  families  of  Yermont,  and  he  lived  only  three  miles 
off." 

"  Then  why  was  he  stopping  here,  so  near  his  own  house, 
all  night,  or  rather  the  first  half  of  it,  for  I  think  he  went 
out  about  midnight." 

The  stranger  evidently  thought  no  one  would  stay,  except 
by  compulsion,  in  such  a  house.  It  was  in  Risley's  mouth, 
to  tell  him  about  the  "  family  difficulty,"  but  then  he  had 
just  endorsed  his  good  character,  and  so  he  told  him,  "  that 
it  was  in  consequence  of  his  having  drank  rather  too  freely, 
so  he  did  not  like  to  go  home,  till  he  had  slept  it  off  a 
little." 

This  the  traveller  knew  was  a  lie,  for  he  had  seen  him  in 
the  stable  more  sober  than  could  be  expected,  from  a  fre 
quenter  of  such  a  vile  rum  hole  as  that  "traveller's  rest" 
evidently  was.  Risley  was  not  aware  of  this  interview,  or 


282  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

he  would  have  had  some  other  lie  ready.  Just  at  this  point 
a  fellow  came  from  the  stable  to  say  that  the  stranger's 
horse  was  missing. 

"  Then  he  is  stolen,  and  the  same  man  that  stole  my 
watch,  has  taken  my  horse  also,  and  that  is  the  fellow  who 
was  admiring  both  in  the  stable  last  night,  and  who  slept 
in  the  same  room  with  me." 

Truly  it  did  look  so,  and  yet  it  was  not  so.  Bad  as  he 
was,  Nat  Brandon  was  not  the  thief.  The  conspirators  had 
abstracted  the  watch  from  its  owner's  pocket  and  put  it  into 
Nat's,  and  had  shifted  the  horses  in 'the  stall,  so  that  all 
unconsciously  he  had  become  a  robber  and  a  horse  thief. 
Still  Risley  contended  that  he  must  be  mistaken.  He  was 
probably  willing  that  Nat  should  escape  with  his  booty,  as 
it  would  more  effectually  prevent  his  return  to  claim  his 
property,  or  expose  his  associates  in  iniquity,  than  though 
he  were  sent  to  states'  prison.  So  he  said  : 

"  Oh,  sir,  you  are  quite  mistaken  in  that  man  :  I  can 
bring  a  dozen  of  our  first  citizens  to  swear  to  the  good  moral 
character  of  Nat  Brandon." 

That  was  one  witness  too  many.  That  name  closed  the 
case  against  this  special  pleader,  for  the  other  replied,  with 
a  look  of  amazement  : 

"  Nat  Brandon  !  was  that  Nat  Brandon  ?" 

"  Yes,  do  you  know  him  ?" 

"  No,  but  I  know  his  character  from  boyhood,  in  his 
father's  old  distillery  ;  smuggling  during  the  war  ;  his  infa 
mous  double  marriage,  and  robbery  of  one  of  the  best  girls 
that  ever  lived,  and  her  poor  widowed  mother.  He  is  a 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  283 

double-distilled  villain,  and  if  you  do  not  wish  to  be  consid 
ered  as  an  accomplice,  you  will  aid  me  in  recovering  my 
property.  Where  can  I  find  a  magistrate  ?" 

Villains  are  apt  to  be  cowards.  Risley  was  one,  and  he 
quailed  before  the  indignation  of  an  honest  man.  He  was 
now  as  anxious  for  Nat's  capture,  as  he  was  a  minute  pre 
vious  for  his  escape.  He  had  been  afraid  that  Nat  would 
tell  his  story  to  the  stranger,  who  having  heard  his  character 
endorsed  by  Risley  himself,  and  several  of  his  set,  might 
conclude  that  he  was  honest,  and  that  some  one  else,  as  Nat 
would  allege,  had  stolen  the  watch,  and  put  it  into  his 
pocket,  and  that  he  had  taken  the  horse  by  mistake.  If 
things  should  take  this  turn,  he  would  refuse  to  prosecute, 
and  thus  all  their  plans  would  fall  to  the  ground.  But  when 
he  found  that  the  stranger's  opinion  was  already  fixed  in  the 
right  line,  he  felt  the  chance  a  good  one  to  get  rid  of  an  old 
associate,  and  in  so  doing,  draw  public  attention  away  from 
.others,  ten  times  more  guilty.  He  was  wonderfully  quick 
ened  too,  when  he  learned  the  stranger's  name,  as  he  signed 
it  to  the  affidavit,  "  GEORGE  YORKBRIDGE."  Yes,  it  was  the 
soldier — the  deserter — the  actor  in  that  fearful  scene  on  the 
ice — now  a  well-known  merchant,  of  the  firm  of  "  YORK- 
BRIDGE,  FIELD,  &  GRAXLY,"  in  a  town  about  sixty  miles  dis 
tant.  Risley  had  good  reason  to  know  the  name,  for  one  of 
his  agents  had  passed  a  large  sum  of  counterfeit  money  at 
their  store,  some  of  the  goods  of  which  purchase  were  then 
in  his  house.  He  felt  as  every  guilty  man  must  feel,  when 
an  honest  man  looks  him  in  the  face,  and  says,  "  Perhaps 
you  are  an  accomplice  of  the  villain  you  are  trying  to  screen." 


284  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

He  therefore  became  suddenly  couvinced  of  the  suspected 
culprit's  guilt,  and  of  the  necessity  of  proceeding  at  once 
to  effect  his  capture,  as  he  had  already  got  six  hours  the 
start,  quite  enough  to  carry  him  over  the  line,  if  he  had 
used  them  to  advantage.  But  he  bad  not — he  had  gone 
home,  and  crept  like  a  thief  into  his  own  house,  to  obtain  a 
few  needed  articles  ;  but  what  with  him  was  a  still  stronger 
motive,  he  longed  to  obtain  one  glance  at  his  child — Alida's 
child.  He  hoped  to  find  the  candle  burning  as  before  in 
her  room,  and  then  by  going  into  the  loft  over-head,  he 
could  look  down  upon  her  face  through  the  cracks  of  the 
floor,  as  she  lay  asleep  on  her  mother's  arm.  But  in  this  he 
was  disappointed — all  was  darkness,  and  the  silence  of 
peaceful  night  held  its  court  in  that  room.  How  like  a 
criminal  he  crept  about  his  own  house — no,  it  was  not  his 
own  now,  for  he  had  given  the  title  to  another,  and  the  only 
equivalent  received  was  rum. 

All  his  acts  here  only  served  to  make  his  guilt  more 
apparent,  and  his  arrest  more  easy,  for  it  so  delayed  him, 
that  he  was  easily  overtaken,  and  found  with  saddle-bags 
packed  for  a  long  journey.  Owing  to  the  fatigue  of  the 
night  before,  his  wife  did  not  awaken  while  he  was  in  the 
honse,  and  only  as  he  rode  away,  when  she  sprang  up  and 
looked  out  to  see  him  mounted  upon  a  horse  that  she  knew 
was  not  his  own,  and  she  felt  that  it  was  a  stolen  one.  She 
did  not  feel  the  sting  of  the  blow  he  had  given  her — a  part 
ing  blow — because  this  was  so  much  harder,  it  deadened 
the  force  of  the  other.  She  forgot  that,  and  would  have 
warded  off  this — would  have  called  him  back — would  have 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  285 

walked  barefooted  to  the  village,  to  restore  the  stolen  pro 
perty — would  have  forgiven  him  all  his  wrongs  to  her,  and 
prayed  Alida  to  forgive  him,  for  she  was  a  woman,  and  he 
was  her  husband,  the  father  of  her  children.  Such  is  woman's 
nature. 

It  was  too  late  ;  the  deed  was  done,  and  she  went  back  and 
lay  down  with  her  little  ones,  weeping  bitter  tears  over 
them,  as  she  thought,  "  how  the  world  will  point  at  them  all 
their  lives,  as  the  children  of  the  drunkard  and  horse-thief. 
Perhaps  they  will  have  to  answer  when  asked,  '  Where  is 
your  father  ?'  '  In  the  penitentiary,  a  chained  convict.'  " 

How  she  did  pray  now  that  he  might  escape,  for  she 
thought  the  disgrace  would  not  be  quite  so  complete,  as  it 
would  if  he  should  be  arrested,  tried,  and  convicted. 

How  she  counted  the  hours,  and  calculated  the  distance 
to  the  line,  and  finally  began  to  think  "now  he  is  safe," 
when  she  heard  the  clatter  of  hoofs  coming  up  the  road,  and 
looked  out  to  see  half  a  dozen  of  the  sheriff's  blood-hounds 
sweeping  by,  as  though  on  a  race  for  life.  There  was  no 
need  for  such  race-horse  speed.  The  bird  had  not  used  his 
wings,  or  he  would  have  been  beyond  their  reach,  for  he  was 
mounted  upon  a  "  Morgan  horse,"  a  breed  since  become 
renowned  through  all  the  states  for  fleetness  and  endur 
ance  of  toil,  like  a  thing  of  iron.  Ten  miles  an  hour  was  an 
easy  gait  without  tiring,  and  he  would  easily  crowd  on 
twenty  at  a  push,  without  much  danger  of  breaking  down. 
His  owner  had  no  hope  that  his  pursuers  would  overtake  him. 
Risley  had,  for  he  knew,  but  dared  not  say  it,  that  it  was 
Nat's  intention  to  stop  at  his  house.  If  Xat  had  been  half 


286  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

as  big  a  villain  as  Risley  was,  his  pursuers  would  have  been 
too  late. 

Nat  had  been  congratulating  himself  upon  the  fine  prop 
erties  of  his  new  purchase,  so  much  better  than  he  expected, 
notwithstanding  Risley's  recommendation,  while  it  was  yet 
dark  ;  but  when  light  began  to  appear,  it  struck  him  that 
the  horse  he  was  riding,  was  not  colored  like  the  one  he  had 
traded  for  ;  yet  he  was  sure  that  he  had  made  no  mistake  ; 
but  when  it  became  fully  light,  he  was  satisfied  that  there 
was  some  fatal  error.  While  wondering  whether  he  was  a 
horse- thief  or  not,  he  discovered  the  watch  in  his  pocket. 
His  first  thought  was  to  turn  directly  back,  and  surrender 
the  property,  and  explain  as  well  as  he  could  how  it  came 
into  his  possession. 

"  For,"  said  he  to  himself,  "  I  have  endured  for  seven 
years  the  horrid  torment  of  a  guilty  conscience  for  one 
robbery,  and  I  do  not  wish  to  add  to  my  present  misery,  or 
be  branded  with  the  name  of  horse-thief." 

He  had  actually  turned  about,  and  ridden  back  several 
miles,  when  he  heard  the  sound  of  his  pursuers  advancing 
upon  him  at  a  rate  which  assured  him  that  they  were  bent 
upon  his  capture.  His  first  thought  was,  "  it  cannot  be  for 
this,  it  must  be  for  the  other  charge,  and  if  I  am  arrested, 
there  is  no  escaping  the  penitentiary.  I  will  not  be  taken. 
Fool  that  I  was  to  turn  back ,  but  it  is  too  late  now  to  get 
off  upon  the  road  ;  I  must  take  to  the  woods." 

Fool  that  he  was  to  take  that  course  ;  but  then  he  did  not 
know  the  speed  and  power  of  his  steed.  On  the  road,  he 
would  have  distanced  all  of  his  pursuers,  and  crossed  the 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  281 

line  in  triumph.  In  the  woods  they  had  him  at  an  advant 
age  ;  being  six  to  one,  they  could  spread  out  and  prevent 
him  from  striking  off  right  or  left.  But  as  it  was,  he  led 
them  one  of  the  jolliest  steeple-chases  ever  rode  in  the  state. 
If  he  had  had  decision  of  character  enough  to  have  turned 
off  as  soon  as  he  heard  his  pursuers,  he  might  have  gone 
unseen  ;  but  he  hesitated  so  long  what  course  to  pursue,  that 
one  of  the  foremost  riders  caught  a  glance  as  he  left  the 
road,  and  gave  pursuit,  with  a  yell,  such  as  is  only  heard 
from  an  Indian,  or  a  half-savage  frontier  white  man,  in 
pursuit  of  his  prey  ;  no  matter  whether  it  is  a  wild  beast,  or, 
as  in  the  present  case,  one  of  his  fellows,  and  late  a  boon 
companion,  whom  he  had  sworn  to  "  stand  by  through  thick 
and  thin." 

Perhaps  he  afterwards  eased  his  conscience  with  the  idea 
that  he  tried  to  stand  by,  or  ride  by  him  through  the  thick 
woods,  and  the  thin  mud  in  the  swamps,  they  met  with  in 
the  chase.  No  sooner  had  the  leader's  yell  been  given,  than 
away  went  the  whole  pack,  far  more  like  savages  than 
civilized  human  beings. 

Nat  had  not  forgotten  his  early  training,  or  his  smuggler 
rides  through  the  woods,  and  his  horse  was  not  new  in  such 
travelling,  and  whether  his  rider  would  or  not,  he  was  up 
for  a  race,  and  tore  through  the  bushes,  swamps,  and  mud, 
up  hill,  and  down,  jumping  creeks,  leaping  rocks  or  logs  in 
the  way,  and  would  upon  fair  ground  have  won  the  field. 
After  some  eight  or  ten  miles,  he  came  to  the  bank  of  a 
stream,  too  deep  to  ford,  too  wide  to  leap,  and  had  to  turn 
up  its  bank  almost  in  the  face  of  his  followers,  who  were 


288  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

trailing  behind.  The  stream  soon  forked,  and  the  one 
before  him  was  a  wide  sluggish  creek,  full  of  black  mud  in 
the  bottom,  yet  it  must  be  crossed,  or  here  he  must  yield 
himself  to  his  foes.  If  he  could  have  seen  its  width  in  time 
to  stop,  he  would  perhaps  have  hesitated  to  make  the  leap. 
Not  so  his  horse.  Those  in  pursuit  were  now,  by  this  double, 
close  upon  him,  yelling  like  furies.  Nat's  horse  would 
sooner  die  than  let  another  win  the  race,  and  he  never  hesi 
tated  a  moment,  but  sailed  over,  and  came  down  upon  the 
soft  bank  on  the  other  side,  as  easy  as  though  it  had  been  a 
four-foot  ditch.  The  two  foremost  of  the  others,  thought 
their  horses  could  go  where  anything  else  with  hoofs  had 
ever  gone,  and  took  the  plunge — plunge  it  was,  head  and 
ears  under  the  black  muddy  water.  The  next  two  never 
stopped  to  think  what  was  before  them — they  saw  their 
companions  going  ahead,  and  followed,  full  tilt — over  they 
went,  clear  of  those  floundering  below,  struck  the  bank  half 
a  length  too  short,  and  rolled  over  backwards,  down  into 
the  black  pool.  The  fifth  rider  just  had  time  to  hold-up, 
before  he  took  the  same  cold  bath,  and  halloo  to  the  last  of 
the  company,  who  had  been  completely  distanced,  to  cross 
the  stream  higher  up,  and  head  him  that  way.  So,  after 
all,  it  proved  that  the  race  was  not  to  the  swift,  for  the 
slowest  of  the  party,  was  the  winner. 

A  more  forlorn  looking  set  never  entered  the  village  of 

M ,  than  the  escort  of  Nat  Brandon  ;  for  those  who 

were  not  beplastered  from  crown  to  sole,  both  men  and 
horses,  with  black  mud,  looked  as  though  they  had  been 
chased  up  a  crab  apple-tree,  and  down  a  thorn  bush. 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  289 

It  is  needless  to  follow  Nat  Brandon  any  further.  He 
was  the  apt  scholar  of  his  father's  trade.  He  made  and 
used  intoxicating  liquor — became  a  drunkard,  and  a  villain. 
In  the  business  of  a  smuggler,  he  learned  to  cheat  his  gov 
ernment,  and  cheating  his  fellow-men  followed  easily.  Bat 
worst  of  all,  his  habits  brought  him  into  bad  company,  by 
which  many  a  man  has  been  ruined.  He  was  now,  without 
a  positive  crime,  a  felon.  He  was  the  victim  of  a  villainous 
conspiracy  of  men,  who  would  not  hesitate  to  swear  his  life 
away,  if  it  had  been  needed  to  save  their  own  worthless  necks. 
It  was  not.  Upon  his  examination,  every  circumstance 
of  the  past  two  days  proved  him  so  guilty,  that  his  asser 
tions,  though  strictly  true,  only  served  to  make  everybody 
cry  out,  "  What  an  abandoned  wretch,  to  try  to  shift  off  his 
guilt  upon  honest  people  I"  We  need  not  go  with  him  to 
the  jail,  or  accompany  him  to  the  court-house,  where  his 
conviction  is  certain,  and  his  sentence  for  ten  years  sure, 
with  an  intimation  of  more  in  reserve,  if  he  lives  to  serve 
the  state  that  length  of  time. 

But  he  did  not.  Though  worthy  of  punishment,  he  died 
a  victim  to  the  law,  upon  a  charge  of  which  he  was  inno 
cent.  But  his  memory  was  loaded  with  infamy,  as  a  con 
victed  robber,  horse-thief,  and  counterfeiter  ;  and  in  a  state- 
prison  cell,  death  found  Nat  Brandon,  a  better  man  than  he 
had  lived. 

Risley,  of  course,  seized  upon  all  his  property — he  had 
the  legal  right.  He  offered  to  let  Maria  Louise  remain, 
"  upon  certain  conditions."  That  they  were  base,  may  be 

13 


290  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

inferred,  for  sooner  than  accept  them,  she  went  with  her 
children,  to  the  only  refuge  of  the  poor — the  robbed — the 
oppressed — the  widow  and  fatherless —  a  home  in  the  county 
poor-house. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  291 


CHAPTER  XV. 

A  chapter  of  sad  scenes— Alida  and  Maria  Louise  talk  of  Nat— Celestine,  and  a 
child's  opinion  of  her  father— She  gets  a  scar,  that  is  long  afterwards  remem 
bered — A  new  character  introduced,  and  his  character  painted — What  fops 
think  of  women — Alida  and  Celestine  start  on  a  journey,  which  has  an  unexpected 
termination— Flight  to  the  woods  at  midnight,  to  escape  a  villain— Alida  followed 
by  wolves,  faints,  and  falls  in  the  road,  and  is  found  by  one  who  would  have 
gladly  shared  his  home  with  her,  but  she  dies  in  his  arms,  leaving  poor  Celestine 
in  a  wolf 's  den. 

THE  arrest,  and  certainty  of  conviction  of  Nat,  had  a  more 
distressing  effect  upon  Alida,  than  upon  his  other  wife, 
because  her  nature  was  more  susceptible  to  such  influences 
as  produce  grief.  For  some  days,  she  sunk  under  the  shock 
which  fell  upon  her,  in  the  weakened  state  of  her  body  and 
mind,  with  such  suddenness,  and  such  force.  Not  that  she 
cared  much  for  him  or  herself,  but  fnat  he  was  the  father 
of  her  child,  and  as  the  facts  could  not  be  hidden  from  her, 
they  sunk  into  her  mind,  producing  the  sad  conviction,  that 
her  father  was  such  a  man  as  she  had  already  learned  to 
look  upon  with  dread,  disgust  and  shame.  This  first  struck 
the  mind  of  her  mother,  when,  after  having  thoughtlessly 
talked  over  the  matter  fully,  with  the  other  of  these  two 
much  wronged  women,  in  presence  of  Celestine,  the  child 
looked  up  tearfully  in  her  mother's  face,  and  said  : 


292  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

"  Ma,  must  I  keep  all  the  commandments  that  I  read  in 
my  primer  ?" 

"  Certainly,  my  child — all  of  the  ten  commandments  of 
God's  law." 

"  Ma,  I  cannot  keep  the  fifth  one — I  cannot  honor  that 
man." 

Nothing  more  was  said — nothing  more  could  be  said. 
There  was  no  chance  for  argument  or  comment.  It  was  a 
time  for  thought.  Alida  clasped  her  child  to  her  heart,  and 
thought,  "  this  is  no  place  for  us,  we  must  go  away — .where 
shall  we  go  ?" 

She  thought,  anywhere  but  here.  She  felt,  too,  every 
time  that  Risley  came  there,  that  he  looked  upon  her  as  an 
incumbrance  upon  his  property.  She  was  in  his  way  ;  he 
felt  under  restraint  in  her  presence.  Something,  too,  seemed 
to  say  to  her,  that  he  had  said  to  Marie  Louise,  that  if  she 
wanted  any  favors  of  him,  she  must  get  Alida  out  of  the 
house.  This  was  the  truth.  She  would  have  gone  sooner 
than  she  did,  but  just  then  Celestine  met  with  an  accident, 
burning  her  hand  severely,  the  scar  of  which  became  a  mark 
which  led  to  a  very  unexpected  recognition,  in  after  years. 

She  had  fully  made  up  her  mind,  to  go  back  to  her  old 
friends  at  Brandon  valley,  where  she  intended  to  ask  that 
Celestine  might  have  a  home,  and  then  she  should  be  ready 
and  willing  to  lie  down  in  that  little  grassy  nook,  with  her 
father  and  mother. 

It  was  Alida's  intention  to  take  the  stage,  and  the  same 
route  back,  that  she  came,  but  there  was  a  young  man  who 
was  in  the  habit  of  coming  frequently  to  the  house,  who 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  293 

offered  to  take  her  in  a  light  Dearborn,  travelling  slower 
and  easier  than  in  the  rough  mail  wagon  ;  which  offer  she 
gladly  accepted,  as  he  was  going  nearly  a  hundred  miles  on 
her  route. 

This  was  a  young  Frenchman,  many  years  her  junior,  but 
who  had  apparently  become  very  much  attached  to  Alida, 
and  with  Celestine  a  very  great  favorite.  He  taught  her  a 
great  many  French  words,  how  to  count  in  French,  sung 
her  French  songs,  and  told  her  many  wild  woods  stories,  and 
thus  by  winning  the  heart  of  the  child,  gained  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  the  mother,  which,  perhaps,  he  mistook  for 
love.  If  conjugal  affection  had  been  in  his  mind,  in  a  few 
years  more,  Celestine  would  be  a  more  suitable  mate  than 
her  mother.  She  simply  thought  him  amiable,  and  as  his 
manners  were  all  fascinating,  she  could  but  show  a  degree 
of  regard  towards  him.  Perhaps  this  turned  his  brain,  so 
that  he  thought,  like  many  other  insignificant  coxcombs, 
that  every  woman  who  receives  their  attentions,  or  listens 
to  their  pointless  conversation  without  being  disgusted,  is 
in  love  with  them,  that  they  may  toy  with  one  at  pleasure, 
until  suspected,  and  then  cast  her  aside  for  another.  Self 
conceit  is  a  besetting  sin  of  fops  ;  and  with  them  civility  to 
females,  a  sort  of  condescension  on  their  part,  for  which  the 
recipients  should  be  extremely  grateful.  If  a  lady  treats  them 
with  civility  in  return,  or  manifests  a  degree  of  gratitude 
for  their  politeness,  they  forthwith  fancy  they  have  won  her 
heart,  or  that  their  own  persons  or  conversation,  are  so  irre 
sistible,  she  could  not  refuse  them  any  favor  they  might  ask. 

This  was  probably  the  case  with  Lafale  ;  for  they  were 


294  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

no  sooner  on  their  journey,  than  he  began  to  make  love  and 
offers  of  marriage  to  Alida.  She  laughingly  told  him  to 
wait  a  few  years,  and  he  might  have  Celestine.  Did  he 
remember  that  in  after  years,  and  seek  the  daughter's  ruin, 
because  refused  by  the  mother  ?  Some  human  beings  carry 
a  spirit  of  revenge  through  life;  for  a  fancied  slight  of  their 
vain  pretensions. 

During  the  three  days'  journey,  his  importunities  grew  so 
strong,  that  Alida  began  to  fear  that  he  might  resort  to 
some  unjustifiable  course  toward  her.  while  in  the  solitude 
of  the  deep  forests  they  passed  through.  Several  times,  he 
made  efforts  to  get  an  opportunity  to  talk  with  her,  free 
from  the  restraint  of  Celestine.  This  Alida  as  carefully 
avoided.  She  felt  that  her  child  was  a  shield  and  protection 
to  her  mother,  as  a  mother  often  is  to  a  child.  One  thing 
that  struck  Alida  with  some  alarm  was,  that  Lafale  did  not 
seem  to  have  any  object  in  his  journey,  and  she  feared  it  had 
been  undertaken  solely  on  her  account,  and  with  no  good 
motive  ;  and  she  was  therefore  delighted  at  the  thought, 
that  the  next  morning  they  would  part,  she  hoped  for  ever. 
He  had  several  times  urged  her  to  accept  of  money,  to  pay 
her  expenses  upon  the  remainder  of  the  journey,  but  she 
strenuously  refused.  She  might  have  accepted  but  for  one 
thing  :  she  noticed  that  every  time  he  paid  out  money,  he 
drew  a  bill  from  a  roll  that  he  carried  in  a  sort  of  secret 
pocket,  always  alleging  that  he  had  no  change,  or  small 
bills.  She  came  at  length  to  the  conclusion  that  he  had  an 
object  in  travelling  ;  and  that  was  to  exchange  counterfeit 
money,  for  good  bills  or  coin.  -.* 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  295 

At  their  last  stopping  place,  he  introduced  Alida  as  Mrs. 
Lafale,  but  she  thought,  at  the  time,  that  it  was  only  one  of 
his  lively  jokes.  She  was  not  well  pleased  with  the  appear 
ance  of  things  here.  Lafale  seemed  to  be  a  familiar  acquain 
tance,  and  coupling  some  remarks,  with  what  she  had  heard 

of  the  gang  at  M ,  and  all  with  what  she  had  seen  of  his 

passing  counterfeit  money,  she  was  satisfied  that  this  was 
one  of  their  headquarters.  Above  all,  she  disliked  the 
appearance  of  the  landlady.  She  could  not  but  feel  that 
there  was  no  chance  of  sympathy  for  her,  in  case  of  neces 
sity  of  appealing  to  her,  and  a  sort  of  dread  began  to  creep 
over  her,  of  some  impending  evil. 

"  What  if  he  should  presume  upon  the  idea  conveyed  in 
that  introduction,  that  I  am  his  wife  ?" 

The  more  she  thought  of  it,  the  more  she  said  to  herself, 
"  What  a  foolish  idea  ;  I  will  not  believe  it." 

When  she  went  to  her  lodging-room,  she  found  that  a 
little  cot  had  been  made  up  in  addition  to  the  standing  bed 

"  What  is  that  for  ?» 

"  Oh,  the  other  bed  is  a  narrow  one,  and  I  thought  you 
would  want  that  for  the  little  girl. 

"Oh,  very  well.  That  will  do.  I  shall  not  want  any 
thing  else.  Good  night." 

She  was  glad  co  get  rid  of  her  companion  before  she 
should  betray  any  of  the  thoughts  rushing  into  her  mind. 
She  could  not  help  feeling  as  though  there  was  some  villain 
ous  scheme  concocting  against  her  in  that  house,  but  she 
meant  to  give  no  evidence  of  her  suspicions. 

Celestine  was  pleased  with  the  notion  of  occupying  "  that 


296  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

pretty  little  bed  ;"  and  "Alida  did  not  oppose  her,  for  she  felt 
that  some  one  was  listening  in  the  next  room.  Celestine 
looked  up  at  her  mother  very  innocently,  after  she  had  been 
for  some  time  laying  with  her  eyes  closed,  as  though  asleep, 
and  said — "  Ma,  Mr.  Lafale  is  a  nice  man,  'aint  he  ?  but  I 
don't  want  him  for  my  pa." 

"  Why,  dear,  what  made  you  say  that  ?" 

"Why,  ma,  I  heard  him  tell  that  lady^o  ;  and  then  he 
hugged  her,  and  kissed  her  ;  and  she  acted  just  as  though  she 
didn't  care.  But  you  won't  let  him  be  my  pa,  will  you  ?" 

"  No,  indeed.  There,  now,  go  to  sleep.  I  will  fasten  the 
door."  And  she  went  and  turned  the  key,  and  the  bolt 
sprung  as  though  the  lock  was  one  of  the  best  in  the  world. 
It  occurred  to  her,  however,  to  look  at  it  with  the  light, 
and  behold,  there  was  a  secret  arrangement  on  the  end  of  the 
key,  which  was  filed  square,  evidently  to  allow  of  its  being 
turned  on  the  other  side.  She  could  have  taken  the  key 
from  the  lock,  but  what  better  would  that  have  been,  since 
another  key  might  easily  fit  the  plain  wards  ?  Instead  of  going 
to  bed,  she  put  on  her  bonnet  and  shawl,  and  stood  ready  for 
a  night  walk,  if  necessary.  She  put  out  the  light,  and  sat 
down  close  in  the  corner  near  the  door.  She  had  fallen 
asleep  there,  and  had  quite  a  refreshing  nap,  when  she  heard 
the  click  of  the  door-lock.  As  it  opened,  she  saw  by  the 
size,  and  knew  by  the  step,  that  it  was  Lafale.  He  went 
first  towards  the  cot,  and  finding  that  Celestine  was  there, 
turned  back,  and  closed,  and  locked  the  door,  but  he  locked 
Alida  out,  instead  of  in.  Five  minutes  afterwards  she  was 
alone  in  a  dreary  woods-road,  flying  as  though  to  save  her 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  297 

life.  It  was  to  save  that  which  to  every  woman  is  dearer 
than  life — her  virtue  and  honor.  Flying  from  man,  who 
should  be  her  protector,  as  she  would  from  a  wild  beast  ; 
leaving  the  habitation  of  man  at  the  lone  midnight  hour,  for 
the  abode  of  wild  animals  in  the  forest,  because  there  was 
less  danger  among  beasts  than  men.  She  expected  to  find  a 
house  soon,  where  she  could  appeal  for  succor,  but  she  took 
a  road  that  led  her  deep  into  the  woods.  It  was  only 
barely  light  enough  for  her  to  see  the  opening  of  the  road 
through  the  trees,  without  being  able  to  pick  her  way,  and 
she  soon  grew  tired,  and  not  finding  any  house  within  a 
mile,  concluded  to  turn 'back,  and  had  faced  about  for  that 
purpose,  when  she  saw  a  sight  in  the  road  she  had  come, 
right  upon  her  track,  that  chilled  the  blood  in  her  veins. 

This  was  a  pair  of  gaunt,  grey  wolves.  She  screamed,  but 
they  maintained  their  ground,  and  she  turned  and  fled  the 
other  way.  They  followed,  and  every  time  she  gave  a 
glance  back,  there  they  were  only  a  few  rods  behind.  How 
long  this  distressingly  exciting  scene  continued  she  never 
knew,  but  it  was  until  fatigue  overcame  her,  and  she  fell 
fainting  upon  the  ground,  in  the  middle  of  the  road.  From 
the  tracks  afterwards  seen  in  the  dust,  it  was  evident  that 
the  wolves  came  up,  and  walked  several  times  around  her, 
drawing  a  little  nearer  each  time,  until  they  had  come  close 
enough  to  smell  of  her  inanimate  form,  and  then,  probably, 
supposing  her  dead,  turned  and  ran  off  down  the  road  they 
came,  either  to  obtain  a  reinforcement,  or  else,  as  old 
hunters  say,  because  they  will  not  touch  a  dead  body  ;  they 
must  rend  all  their  prey  alive,  so  as  to  drink  the  warm 


298  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

blood,  or  else  they  will  not  eat  the  flesh,  unless  driven  by 
extreme  hunger,  as  men  often  are,  to  eat  food  that  a  full 
stomach  would  abhor.  It  is  also  a  fact  that  the  American 
wolf  seldom  attacks  and  destroys  human  beings,  and  I 
believe  never  except  in  hard  winters.  They  have  frequent 
ly  been  known  to  follow  persons  for  miles,  particularly 
females,  without  approaching  them.  It  is  not  likely  that 
these  animals  would  have  attacked  Alida,  but  she  was 
equally  alarmed  as  though  they  had,  and  had  swooned  so 
dead  that  she  might  never  have  awakened,  if  some  one  had 
not  come  to  her  assistance. 

It  was  a  clear,  but  chilly  night,  and  when  she  sank  down, 
she  was  in  a  violent  perspiration,  and  all  unused  to  such  a 
bed,  so  that  it  was  no  wonder,  that  when  wakened  about 
daylight,  by  the  approach  of  a  wagon,  she  was  utterly 
unable  to  rise.  The  gentleman  driving,  did  not  observe  her, 
until  the  horses  started  at  the  unusual  sight  in  the  path, 
sprang  aside,  and  had  well  nigh  run  the  wagon-wheels  over 
her  neck,  in  spite  of  the  strength  of  a  very  skillful  driver. 

"The  cold  chills,"  said  he,  "creep  over  me  to  this  day, 
every  time  I  think  of  that  night.  I  had  a  considerable  load, 
and  a  fiery  pair  of  horses,  and  had  started  very  early,  and 
drove  about  five  miles,  or  just  far  enough  to  get  them 
warmed  up,  and  was  going  at  a  smart  trot,  when  all  of  a 
sudden,  they  sprang  out  of  the  path — a  very  unusual  thing 
with  them — and  seemed  inclined  to  run.  I  cast  one  glance 
to  see  what  had  startled  them,  and  there — mercy  on  me,  I 
see  it  now — there,  right  under  their  feet,  it  seemed  to  me, 
and  right  before  the  wheels,  lay  a  woman — by  her  appear- 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  299 

ance,  a  well-dressed  lady.  I  had  no  thought  but  that  she 
was  already  dead,  but  I  was  just  as  anxious  not  to  mangle 
her  corpse,  as  I  should  have  been  to  keep  off  of  her  if 
alive  ;  so  I  thought,  but  just  then,  I  heard  a  deep  groan, 
and  that  proved  that  life  had  a  stranger  claim  than  death. 
There  was  no  time  to  think.  I  felt  as  though  I  had  a  load 
pressing  upon  me,  which  I  must  throw  off.  The  first  start 
of  the  horses  had  been  back,  by  which  the  wagon  was 
cramped  to  the  left,  and  then  they  aimed  to  pass  the  object 
on  that  side  ;  this  would  have  brought  one  wheel  directly 
over  her  head,  or  else  the  other  one  on  a  stump,  and  upset 
the  wagon  directly  upon  her  body.  All  this  she  saw,  and  I 
perceived  she  was  struggling  to  move.  I  shouted,  '  Lay 
still,  for  God's  sake,  don't  move.'  I  then  gave  the  horses  a 
sudden  strong  pull  to  the  right,  and  being  well  broken  to 
the  bit,  they  came  round  with  a  jerk — the  near  horse  actually 
jumping  over  the  body,  and  the  next  bound,  both  plunged 
into  the  bushes  on  the  other  side  of  the  road,  very  much  to 
the  danger  of  my  eyes,  but,  oh,  what  a  relief  to  my  mind. 
I  felt  as  though  I  had  barely  escaped  from  again  causing 
the  death  of  a  fellow  creature,  while  driving  those  same 
horses.  If  I  had  destroyed  this  life,  I  do  believe  I  should 
have  gone  distracted.  I  hitched  my  horses  as  soon  as  I  could 
get  them  calm,  and  went  back.  The  person  was  still  laying 
in  the  same  spot,  as  helpless  as  a  child.  She  said,  wildly, 
'  you  won't  kill  me,  will  you,'  as  I  lifted  her  up,  and  carried 
her  to  my  wagon.  '  Oh  no,  I  won't  kill  you,  nor  hurt  you  ; 
I  will  take  you  to  some  kind  friends,  and  take  good  care  of 
you,  until  you  are  well.  I  supported  her  as  well  as  I  could 


300  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

in  my  arms,  about  a  mile,  to  where  I  intended  to  stop  for 
breakfast,  where  I  could  get  her  well  taken  care  of,  and  if  I 
should  conclude  to  carry  her  home  with  me,  where  I  could 
leave  some  boxes  of  goods,  and  make  room  for  her  to  ride. 
It  had  been  a  cold  night,  and  she  was  badly  chilled,  and 
delirious,  and  nearly  insensible  ;  but  my  landlady,  a  kind 
soul,  who  got  her  into  her  own  warm  bed,  soon  got  her 
roused  up  so  she  could  take  a  cup  of  tea,  and  began  to  feel 
better,  and  then  she  desired  to  see  me. 

"  She  is  very  pretty,"  said  the  old  lady,  "but  she  is  not 
long  for  this  world  ;  I  can  see  the  angel  smile  upon  her  face. 
If  there  is  anything  on  her  mind,  do  encourage  her  to  say  it, 
and  set  her  house  in  order,  poor  thing.  She  talks  dreadful 
wild,  I  can't  make  out  what  it  is  all  about.  But  it  is  some 
thing  about  wolves  chasing  her  all  night,  and  about  a  man 
in  her  room,  and  a  child,  and  the  man  ought  to  go  to  the 
penitentiary,  and  a  great  sight  of  such  talk.  Now  I  don't 
like  to  be  suspicious,  and  I  don't  think  I  am,  but  a  body 
cannot  help  guessing — you  needn't  laugh — I  know  what  you 
want  to  say  ;  Yankees  are  always  guessing  ;  well  I  don't 
care,  they  most  always  guess  right  •  and  so  I  guess  that  this 
gal  has  been  too  pretty  for  her  own  good,  and  some  man  has 
got  the  better  of  her,  and  so  she  has  run  away  from  house 
and  home,  poor  thing  ;  and  then  about  the  child  ;  well  I 
don't  like  to  suspicion  anybody,  but  I  shouldn't  wonder 
much  if  she  had  fed  the  wolves,  and  that  is  what  lays  so 
terrible  on  her  mind,  that  she  wants  to  talk  to  you  about. 
I  do  wonder  if  she  wouldn't  like  to  see  our  minister  ?  He 
is  a  desper't  nice  man,  but  I  do  think  though  he  is  the  least 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  301 

mite  in  the  world  too  harsh  with  dying  folks  ;  asking  them 
if  they  ain't  afraid  they're  going  right  straight  to  hell.  But 
then  again,  he  lifts  them  right  up  when  he  prays,  he  is  so 
powerful.  I  do  hope,  if  you  talk  to  her,  that  she  will  tell 
you  if  there  is  anything  awful  on  her  mind,  and  if  there  is, 
we  will  send  for  .minister,  'cause  I  guess  it  would  kinder 
do  her  good,  to  have  him  pray  with  her.  She  thinks  she  is 
going  to  die,  but  then  she  is  crazy,  for  she  says  that  you 
killed  her  ;  that  you  drove  right  over  her  in  the  road  ;  but 
then  she  just  said  'afore  that,  that  the  wolves  tore  her  all  to 
pieces  and  eat  her  up  ;  and  then  she  will  fly  off  about  the 
child,  so  after  all  I  guess — well,  well,  it  ain't  worth  while  to 
guess  auy  such  thing  now,  unless  she  was  going  to  get  well, 
and  then  it  would  be  a  dreadful  thing  to  be  sure.  Well,  I 
declare  now  to  gracious,  how  I  am  running  on.  Poor  girl, 
come,  go  and  see  her.  She  is  dreadfully  anxious  to  know 
who  you  are,  but  I  did  not  like  to  tell  her,  only  that  you  was 
a  young  merchant,  that  didn't  live  just  about  here.  I  didn't 
know  but  it  might  be  somebody  that  you  used  to  know  'fore 
you  were  married.  Ah  me  !  Poor  girl  1' 

"  In  this  pious  ejaculation  of  Mrs.  Green,  I  could  heartily 
join — Poor  Girl  !  not  perhaps  poor  in  purse,  but  still  poor, 
for  she  was  alone  in  the  world,  dying  among  strangers,  with 
out  a  single  friend  to  console  her  ;  without  one  familiar  face 
for  her  to  gaze  her  last  look  upon,  and  though  she  might  be 
unable  to  speak  her  dying  thoughts,  she  could  give  that 
gentle  pressure  of  the  hand,  that  sends  its  silent  language  to 
the  heart.  Poor  girl,  truly.  My  own  opinion  of  her,  varied 
from  that  of  Mrs.  Green,  who  thought  her  some  conscience- 


302  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

stricken,  wretched  mother,  who  had  abandoned  her  helpless 
child,  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  wolves.  •  I  believed  her  a 
poor  maniac,  who  had  probably  wandered  from  her  friends, 
and  I  had  already  dispatched  a  man  down  the  road  towards 
the  lake,  to  make  inquiries,  as  we  all  believed  that  she  had 
come  from  that  way.  We  were  all  mistaken,  for  she  had  come 
over  by  a  cross-road,  from  another  main  one,  five  or  six 
miles  distant.  Of  course  the  only  trace  the  messenger 
found  of  her,  was  her  own  and  the  wolf-tracks,  where  I 
found  her.  He  never  thought  of  going  off  the  road  to  make 
inquiries,  and  thus  how  she  came  where  she  was  found,  was 
left  a  mystery.  As  it  was  still  dusk  when  I  found  her,  and 
as  I  had  consigned  her  to  the  care  of  Mrs.  Green  without 
looking  in  her  face,  I  was  not  able  to  tell  whether  her 
judgment  was  correct  or  not,  in  regard  to  her  angelic  beauty. 
I  did  not  even  stop  to  inquire  whether  she  was  old  or  young, 
and  I  was  not  at  all  afraid  to  see  her  for  fear  it  might  be 
'  somebody  that  I  used  to  know  before  I  was  married.' 

"  As  I  entered  the  room,  she  was  sitting  bolstered  up  in 
bed  ;  Mrs.  Green  had  got  her  clothes  off,  and  a  nice  white 
wrapper  of  her  own,  with  one  of  her  tasty  caps  on  her  head, 
and  certainly  she  did  look  the  most  angelic  I  ever  saw  any 
woman  look  in  my  life.  She  had  told  Mrs.  Green  that  she 
had  something  very  important  to  tell  me,  and  that  was  what 
the  old  lady  meant  by  hoping  she  would  ease  her  mind — 
evidently  expecting  some  terrible  confession.  Mrs.  Green 
preceded  me  into  the  room,  so  that  I  was  mostly  concealed 
from  the  invalid,  until  Mrs.  Green  said, '  here  my  dear,  here 
is  Mr.  Granly,  and ' 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  303 

"  The  sentence  was  broken  off  by  a  sadden  start,  and 
piercing  scream  from  the  bed,  as  if  the  sound  of  my  name 
had  fallen  upon  her  like  an  electric  shock.  For  a  moment 
Mrs.  Green  looked  upon  me  with  utter  abhorrence,  for  she 
thought  me  the  guilty  cause  of  all  this  wreck  of  young  life — 
the  murderer  of  one  of  nature's  most  lovely  gems — and  she 
was-  indignant,  and  would  have  driven  me  from  the  room,  but 
it  was  too  late.  One  glance  at  the  poor  sufferer,  as  she 
reclined  upon  the  pillows  in  the  clear  light,  was  enough — one 
glance  of  her  eyes  upon  my  face  after  Mrs.  Green  uttered 
my  name,  was  too  much  for  her  feeble  strength.  She  almost 
screamed  out  the  words,  '  Michael  Granly,'  as  she  fell  for 
ward  into  my  arms,  sobbing  '  Oh,  my  child—  save — save — they 

tear  me — wolves — Oh  God  !' and  Alida  Blythe,  with  her 

arms  about  my  neck — her  head  upon  my  breast,  was," 

"  What  ?» 

"  Alida  Blythe  was  in  heaven  !" 

"  Not  dead  !  Oh,  say  not  dead  ?" 

"  Yes,  too  true.  Without  a  word,  except  that  single  one 
of  recognition,  and  the  incoherent  raving  that  the  wolves 
had  destroyed  her  child,  her  spirit  had  gone  to  Him  who 
gave  it." 


304  GREEN-MOUNTAIJT     GIRLS. 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

Sad  news — Letters  and  their  answers— More  villainy — Dividing  the  spoils— Wretched 
fate  of  Celestine— Facts  leaking  out — The  convict's  family— The  Poor  House,  and 
how  they  were  received  and  treated  there— Disciplining  a  child— Cruelty- 
Temptation — A  mother's  love  for  her  children — A  bill  of  fare — Escaping  from  an 
American  Bastile — Going  back  to  "  our  old  home" — Two  sorts  of  children  in  one 
family — Commencement  of  the  history  of  Luthella  Brandon — Her  new  home,  and 
life  of  a  "  poor-house  girl" — Seven  years  of  torture — Going  an  errand,  and 
finding  a  friend — A  Christian  woman — A  horrid  sight — Capt.  Sebring  swears — 
Another  phase  in  the  poor-house  girl's  life — Her  destiny  linked  with  Celestine's 
— Good  advice — Going  out  into  the  wide  world  among  strangers. 

"  POOR  soul !"  said  Mrs.  Green,  "  she  is  gone,  and  minister 
not  here  to  pray  with  her.  I  do  wonder  if  she  ever  experi 
enced  a  hope." 

How  much  the  mind  of  the  old  lady  was  relieved  when  she 
learned  her  true  history.  She  evidently,  though,  believed 
her  insane,  and  it  did  appear  to  Michael,  that  insanity  was 
the  only  way  of  accounting  for  her  presence  in  the  situation 
in  which  she  was  found.  He  had  not  heard  that  she  had  left 
the  valley,  and  knew  nothing  of  Celestine  being  with  her  ; 
so  he  wrote  there  first  for  information,  as  well  as  to  give  the 
sad  news  of  her  death  ;  how  he  had  found  her  ;  how  she 
died  in  his  arms  ;  how  she  raved  about  her  child  being 
destroyed  by  wolves  ;  and  finally,  how  he  had  carried  her 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  305 

body  home,  and  placed  it  in  the  grave,  surrounded  by  sad 
weeping  friends,  though  no  relative  was  there.  When  he 
got  an  answer  to  this  letter,  he  wrote  to  Mrs.  Brandon  at 

M ,  to  know  when  Alida  left  there,  and  whether  Celes- 

tine  was  with  her,  or  what  had  become  of  the  child.  To  this 
he  got  no  answer.  To  another  written  to  the  postmaster, 
he  got  an  answer  from  Risley,  that  Brandon's  woman  and 
her  children  were  in  the  poor  house.  That  the  other 
woman  and  her  child,  went  off  with  a  dissolute  young  fellow, 
who,  he  understood,  passed  her  for  his  wife  along  the  road. 
The  villain  !  for  he  knew  all  the  circumstances  from  Lafale's 
own  lips,  but  like  him  was  interested  in  keeping  the  secret. 
He  was  afraid  that  if  Celestine  got  into  the  hands  of  the 
rich  house  of  Yorkbridge,  Field,  and  Granly,  some  proceed 
ings  in  equity  might  be  instituted  against  Brandon  to 
recover  the  land  bought  with  money  which  justly  belonged 
to  that  child  in  right  of  inheritance,  and  for  which  he  could 
never  show  that  he  had  given  an  equivalent. 

When  Lafale  and  his  equally  guilty  landlady  heard  of  the 
death  of  Alida,  they  knew  that  they  were  accessory  to  it  ; 
they  felt  themselves  her  murderers,  and,  like  all  guilty 
wretches,  they  at  once  resolved  to  add  villainy  to  villainy, 
in  hopes  that  the  last  would  hide  the  first.  To  this  end 
they  opened  Alida's  trunk,  and  Lafale  took  the  money, 
about  one  hundred  dollars,  and  his  guilty  partner  took  the 
clothes  and  Celestine  for  her  part  of  the  plunder.  The 
latter  she  stripped  of  her  neat  dresses,  and  clothed  her  in  a 
"  poor-house  garb,"  and  gave  out  that  she  was  one  of  the 
children  of  that  institution,  forbidding  her  ever  to  speak  of 


306  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

her  mother,  or  where  she  had  ever  lived,  or  what  name  she 
had  been  called  by  ;  and  thus  for  long  years  she  made  of  her 
a  menial  servant,  from  which  position  she  only  escaped  by 
stealth,  when  about  sixteen  years  old,  aided  by  a  villain  who 
promised  her,  that  as  soon  as  she  reached  Massachusetts, 
where  he  then  resided,  that  he  would  make  her  his  wife.  Glad 
to  escape  from  her  present  state  of  bondage  to  a  wicked 
woman,  she  listened  to  the  specious  proposition  of  a  still 
more  wicked  wretch,  and  went  off  with  him.  That  he  did 
not  intend  to  keep  his  marriage  promise,  my  readers  will 
understand,  when  I  tell  them  that  that  promise  came  from 
the  villain  Lafale,  who  had  come  into  that  part  of  the  state 
to  get  girls  to  work  in  a  cotton-factory,  located  upon  the 
Connecticut,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  American  rivers, 
It  was  in  consequence  of  this  elopement  that  some  of  the 
facts  already  known  to  the  reader,  came  to  light.  Mrs. 
Willstrain  was  so  enraged  at  Lafale,  and  at  the  "base 
ingratitude  of  that  vile  girl,  to  leave  her  just  as  she  had  got 
big  enough  to  do  something  to  pay  for  her  victuals  and 
clothes,"  that  she  "let  out"  the  long  and  well  kept  secrets. 
But  it  was  too  late  now  to  redress  her  wrongs,  though  her 
friends  tried  to  trace  her,  to  save  her  from  a  fate  inevitable 
to  every  girl  who  trusts  herself  in  the  hands  of  a  libertine 
like  the  "  very  respectable,  gentlemanly  Mr.  Lafale." 

We  must  now  go  back  to  M to  the  late  residence  of 

poor  Celestine's  father,  and  see  what  has  become  of  the  con- 
rict's  family,  that  we  left  in  the  poor-house,  a  home  which 
the  wretched  mother  thought  preferable  to  the  one  offered 
her  by  Risley,  upon  terms  which  she  rejected  with  abhor- 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  307 

rence.  But  she  had  not  then  learned  how  some  of  the 
towns  of  a  civilized,  Christian  country,  provide  for  their  poor. 
It  is  idle  to  attempt  to  disguise  the  fact,  that  many  of  the 
poor-houses,  of  this  country,  would  be  a  disgrace  to  a  savage 
nation.  It  is  still  more  disgraceful,  to  a  nation  that  claims 
to  be  so  highly  civilized  as  our  own. 

I  cannot  point  out  the  locality  of  the  one  in  question,  because 
the  mother  and  her  children  who  suffered  there,  are  still 
living,  and  I  would  not  draw  the  curious  gaze,  upon  what  a 
proud  world  derisively  terms  poor-house  children  ;  which  I 
should  do,  in  exposing  the  cruelties  inflicted  upon  the  poor 
helpless  beings,  through  that  long  cold  winter,  which  con 
signed  their  husband  and  father  to  the  penitentiary,  and  the 
wife  and  children  to  the  tender  mercies  of  a  wretch,  who 
bids  off  the  county  poor,  when  put  up  at  public  sale,  for  the 
least  possible  amount,  for  which  he  can  starve  and  freeze  them 
through  the  year  ;  so  that  he  looks  upon  every  death  as  a 
clear  gain,  and  every  additional  pauper,  that  falls  in  during 
the  year,  as  upon  a  thief,  who  had  come  to  rob  him  of  a 
portion  of  his  anticipated  profits. 

Almost  the  first  greeting  given  to  Mrs.  Brandon  upon 
her  entrance  into  this — as  she  supposed,  "  Hotel  Dieu,"  or 
"  Hbpital  des  Invalides,"  was  an  inquiry  as  to  what  business 

she,  a  French  Canadian (vile  epithet,)  had  to  our 

benevolence. 

"  However,  if  you  stay  here,  you  have  got  to  go  to  work, 
I  can  tell  you  that — you  won't  get  a  chance  here  to  drive 
your  husband  to  drink  and  stealing,  with  your  laziness  and 
extravagance." 


308  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

Could  anything  be  more  unjust — more  unfeeling — more 
untrue  ?  And  what  made  it  still  worse,  the  words  came  from 
a  woman,  the  wife  of  him  who  kept  this  house  of  refuge  for 
the  widows  and  fatherless  of  the  land  ;  a  man  who  specu 
lated  in  the  hunger  and  nakedness  of  the  poor. 

What  could  the  poor  woman  do  ?  She  was  not  lazy — 
and  was  willing  to  work  to  support  her  children,  but  her 
situation  was  intolerable.  Her  food  the  coarsest,  and  her 
labor  incessant,  and  her  children  almost  starving  and 
neglected,  and  if  she  complained,  she  was  told  to  "  shut  up 
— they  fared  better  than  the  brats  of  a  state's  prison  bird 
deserved  :  and  that  if  they  died,  so  much  the  better  ;  they 
would  not  live  to  be  like  their  father." 

The  youngest,  a  delicate  little  girl  two  or  three  years  old, 
soon  sunk  under  such  treatment,  and  ran  crying  after  her 
mother.  The  keeper  bid  her  go  about  her  business  and  she 
would  soon  stop  her  squalling." 

"  But  the  child  is  sick." 

"  I  don't  care,"  said  Mrs.  Stoneheart,  if  she  is,  "  she  is  not 
going  to  disturb  the  whole  house.  It  is  a  pity  she  was  not 
dead,  if  she  cannot  keep  still. 

With  that  she  caught  the  child  by  one  hand,  and  a  switch 
in  the  other,  and  commenced  beating  the  poor  thing  unmer 
cifully.  What  mother  could  bear  this  ?  Not  hers,  for 
every  blow  went  to  her  own  heart,  and  she  ran  to  snatch  the 
poor  little  sufferer  from  her  tormentor,  but  without  offering 
to  lay  a  hand  upon  the  woman  ;  yet  she  began  crying  murder 
as  loud  as  she  could  bawl,  and  when  assistance  came, 
declared  that  Mrs.  Brandon  had  taken  the  child  away  by 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  3C9 

force,  and  threatened  to  kill  her.  Upon  that,  they  seized 
and  hurried  the  poor  mother  off  to  the  dungeon  in  the  cellar, 
telling  her  that  the  stubborn  will  of  the  ugly  little  French 
brat  should  be  broken,  if  they  had  to  break  its  neck,  and 
"  that  they  would  teach  her  how  to  interfere  with  the  dis 
cipline  of  the  institution."  Day  after  day,  that  child  was 
cruelly  whipped  within  hearing  of  her  mother,  because  she 
was  sick,  and  pining  after  her  mother's  care  and  affection. 

The  other  two  children  only  fared  better,  because  they 
were  older,  and  a  little  more  easily  overcome  by  starvation 
and  the  lash. 

The  mother  was  at  length  released  from  her  cell,  where 
she  had  been  obliged  to  sleep  on  a  little  straw,  without  cov 
ering,  except  one  old  dirty  quilt,  and  obliged  to  endure 
effluvia  and  noisome  damps,  that  could  not  be  avoided. 
She  was  let  out  "  on  condition  that  she  would  behave  her 
self  in  future,  and  go  about  her  work  without  grumbling, 
and  take  care  to  mind  her 'own  business,  and  not  meddle 
with  the  children  of  the  establishment."  She  mildly  remarked, 
"  that  she  never  had  interfered  with  any  but  her  own." 

"  Your  own  !  just  hear  a  state-prison  felon's  mistress, 
talk  of  her  own  children  in  the  poor-house.  If  you  wanted 
the  management  of  your  own  children — the  dirty  bastards — 
what  did  you  come  here  with  them  for  ?  Nobody  asked  you 
to  come.  If  justice  was  done  you,  no  doubt  you  would  be 
with  your  man,  for  nobody  believes  you  were  ever  a  wife. 
You  got  him  away  from  his  own  wife,  and  then  when  she  came 
for  her  own,  turned  her  out  doors,  to  perish  in  the  woods. 
And  now  to  talk  about  your  own.  When  such  folks  get  in  the 


310  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

poor-house,  the  state  owns  their  brats,  and  will  take  care 
of  them.  Go  to  your  work.  Don't  look  at  me  that  way 
again,  you  impudent  hussey ;  and  if  you  give  me  any  of  your 
jaw,  I  will  have  you  tied  up  for  a  dozen  on  the  bare  back.  I 
am  not  going  to  try  to  manage  this  house  without  discipline. 
Be  off,  and  don't  let  me  catch  you  looking  at  or  speaking 
to  them  children  you  call  your  own." 

She  went  away  thinking  ;  "  Have  I  come  to  this  ?  Have 
I  lived  to  be  called  such  opprobrious  names,  without  daring 
to  resent  it,  and  told  not  to  speak  to  my  own  children,  or 
show  resentment  when  I  hear  them  continually  called  a 
horse-thief s  bastards  ?  Do  I  hear  this  every  day,  and  live  ? 
I  cannot,  will  not,  endure  it." 

Murder  was  in  her  heart,  and  with  such  provocation,  if 
she  had  killed,  would  it  have  been  murder,  or  merely  the 
act  of  a  frenzied  mind  ? 

In  this  state  of  mind,  the  tempter  came  again,  in  the 
form  of  Risley.  He  pretended  to  be  excessively  sorry  for 
her  sufferings,  and  renewed  his  offers.  "  My  wife,"  said  he, 
"  is  now  hopelessly  insane,  and  I  have  a  large  family,  and 
cannot  take  another  wife  while  she  is  alive,  or  I  would 
gladly  marry  you.  What  will  you  do  ?" 

"  What  shall  I  do  ?  I  cannot  go  ;  I  cannot,  will  not  stay 
here.  I  had  rather  die — would  die,  but  for  my  children. 
This  place  is  worse  than  the  penitentiary." 

"  Come  with  me,  then,  back  to  your  old  home.  I  am 
living  on  the  farm.  Will  you  ?" 

"Will  you  take  my  children  ?" 

"  Certainly,  if  you  go,  that  is  if  you  wish  it ;  if  you  are 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  311 

not  afraid  of  mixing  them  with  mine.  You  wouldn't  like  to 
leave  them  here  ?" 

"  No,  no,  no,  not  here.  Anywhere,  but  here.  It  is  the 
only  thing,  that  will  make  me  consent  to  take  such  a  step — 
it  is  for  my  children  only." 

"Then  be  it  so.     When  will  you  go  ?" 

"  Now  ;  to  day  ;  this  minute." 

"  Then  you  shall." 

No  prisoner  ever  escaped  from  the  penitentiary  with  more 
thankfulness,  than  Mrs  Brandon  did  from  this  home  of  the 
poor  ;  where  the  inmates  were  literally  starved  into  submis 
sion  to  their  cruel  fate.  Think  of  such  a  bill  of  fare  as  this 
in  a  land  of  plenty  : 

For  breakfast,  a  pint  of  barley  coffee,  sweetened  with  cheap 
molasses,  and  colored  with  milk,  with  a  slice  of  coarse  wheat 
bread  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  thick,  and  five  inches 
across  each  way,  with  about  two  ounces  of  refuse  salt  pork. 
For  dinner  the  same  fare  except  the  coffee ;  and  for  supper  the 
same  sized  slice  of  bread  and  something  called  tea.  Its 
flavor  was  that  of  bog  hay.  If  potatoes  or  other  vegetables 
were  cheap  enough  to  substitute  for  the  other  food,  they  were 
occasionally  given  as  a  change  ;  but  it  often  happened  that 
no  change  occurred  for  months. 

Of  course,  a  good  many  were  always  in  the  "  hospital," 
where  they  got,  instead  of  salt  pork,  a  pint  of  soup,  made  by 
boiling  one  beef  shin,  in  fifteen  quarts  of  water,  in  which  a 
handful  of  Indian  meal  or  bran  was  sometimes  thrown.  The 
bread  was  made  of  wheat  flour,  for  that  was  a  regulation 
of  the  overseers  of  the  poor,  who  let  them  out  to  the  keeper 


312  GREEN- MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

to  board  at  forty  cents  a  week,  the  overseers  furnishing 
house  and  bedding,  such  as  it  was.  Nothing  was  said  in 
the  "  regulations"  about  the  quality  of  the  wheat,  and  so  that 
which  was  sprouted,  musty,  or  weevil-eaten,  that  could  be 
bought  for  half  price,  was  the  kind  used,  and  the  bread  was 
often  only  half  baked,  and  sour  enough  to  curdle  milk.  If 
any  complained,  they  were  told  to  go,  as  no  one  compelled 
them  to  stay.  It  was  an  object  of  the  keeper,  to  get  rid  of 
them  as  fast  as  he  could,  for  his  pay  counted  through  the 
year  upon  the  number  he  commenced  with  ;  so  that  all  that 
went  out  by  death  or  otherwise  was  profit,  and  all  new 
comers,  loss. 

Reader  !  be  charitable.  Lay  your  hand  upon  your  heart 
and  see  how  it  beats,  while  you  condemn  Maria  Louise,  for 
leaving  such  a  home  as  this  for  another  one,  upon  any  terms 
that  were  offered  her.  While  telling  me  her  story  a  few 
months  since,  she  said  : 

"  I  could  have  died  willingly  if  I  had  beeu  alone  ;  but 
to  see  my  children  starved  to  death  before  my  face,  and 
whipped  for  crying  for  food,  was  too  much  for  human  nature 
to  bear.  I  would  have  run  away,  but  I  could  not  go  and 
leave  them,  'and  they  would  not  give  them  up,  because  I  was 
strong  and  able  to  work  and  more  than  earned  my  own 
support  and  theirs.  I  was  fed  extra,  because  I  had  not 
strength  to  work  upon  the  '  regulation  allowance  ; '  but  I 
was  forbidden  to  share  my  food  with  my  children  upon  pain 
of  having  them  shut  up  in  the  dungeon,  out  of  my  sight.  If 
I  had  escaped  I  should  have  been  brought  back,  for  that 
was  one  of  the  regulations,  and  part  of  the  contract  that 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  313 

the  keeper  should  have  the  services  of  all  the  able-to-work 
paupers,  and  that  the  overseers  should  not  discharge  them, 
during  his  year.  It  was  therefore  a  sort  of  special  favor  to 
Risley,  that  he  was  allowed  to  take  me  and  my  three  chil 
dren  back  to  my  old  home,  where  I  had  been  both  a  happy 
and  miserable  wife  to  a  dearly  loved  husband,  and  now  I 
had  come  to  be  a  guilty  wretch,  rather  than  see  my  children 
die,  or  suffer  worse  than  death  in  an  American  bastile. 

"  At  first  I  was  comparatively  happy  in  my  new  situation. 
I  was  kind  to  his  poor  afflicted  wife,  who  I  found  confined  to 
an  uncomfortable  room,  hopelessly  insane.  I  was  a  mother 
to  her  neglected  children  ;  the  younger  portion  of  whom 
loved,  and  the  older  ones  hated  me,  because  I  occupied  the 
place  of  a  mother.  I  soon  found  that  mixing  two  sorts  of 
children  did  not  answer.  Mine  were  called  young  horse 
thieves  and  poor-house  beggars,  and  told  that  their  father, 
was  a  state's  prison  convict,  and  a  drunkard.  Who  made 
him  so  ?  I  could  not  tell  them,  '  it  was  your  father.' 

"  Finally,  when  it  became  evident,  that  there  would  soon 
be  three  sorts  of  children  in  the  same  house,  I  consented  that 
mine  should  be  bound  out,  upon  condition  that  the  oldest 
of  his  should  also  go  away  from  home.  It  was  another  sore 
trial.  My  life  has  been  full  of  such.  I  know  that  I  have 
done  wrong  ;  but  let  those  who  would  condemn  me  say 
what  they  would  do  ;  what  I  should  have  done.  I  was  the 
mother  of  three  dear  children — I  am  the  mother  of  six.  I 
was  the  abandoned,  poverty  stricken  wife  of  a  man  who 
took  the  first  rudiments  of  drunkenness  and  crime  in  his 
father's  distillery,  which  he  improved  in  the  trade  of  a  smug- 

14 


314  GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

gler,  and  finished  as  a  tavern  sot,  and  tool  of  bigger  knaves. 
For  many  years,  I  did  not  know  how  he  had  been  betrayed, 
or  that  I  had  taken  his  guilty  betrayer  to  my  arms.  It  was 
not  my  will,  but  a  cruel  fate,  that  made  me  what  I  was.  I 
did  what  my  soul  revolted  at.  Now  both  Brandon  and 
Risley  are  dead,  and  I  am  doubly  a  widow.  I  know  I  have 
done  wrong. 

"  May  God  and  man  forgive  me,  as  I  forgive  others." 
Reader  :  Is  there  any  unforgiveness  in  your  heart  ?  Root 
it  out,  for  you  have  more  yet  to  forgive  of  man's  wrongs  to 
his  fellow  men.  Of  the  three  children  thus  severed  from 
their  mother,  I  have  only  to  trace  the  history  of  one.  The 
son,  like  many  others  of  the  "bound-out"  class,  found 
plenty  of  hard  work,  and  hard  fare,  but  the  hardest  of  all 
was  to  be  continually  taunted  with  being  the  son  of  a  prison- 
bird  ;  a  horse-thief ;  a  counterfeiter  ;  a  poor-house  pauper  ; 
and  other  opprobrious  epithets  applied  to  his  parents. 
From  this  he  determined  to  escape,  and  did  so,  followed  by 
the  usual  advertisement  of  "  ONE  CENT  REWARD,  for  an 
indented  apprentice,  about  twelve  years  old,"  etc. 

But  he  went  beyond  its  reach,  working  his  way  by  a  sort 
of  American  instinct,  to  the  West,  until  he  reached  the  state 
of  Pennsylvania,  where  he  hired  himself  to  a  farmer,  and 
served  him  faithfully  so  many  years,  that,  like  Laban,  he 
gave  him  his  eldest  daughter,  and  at  his  death,  the  bulk  of 
his  property,  and  he  is  now  one  of  the  most  respectable  farmers 
of  that  state,  and  an  ardent  supporter  of  a  law  to  prevent 
the  greatest  cause  of  crime  and  misery.  He  is  also  strongly 
opposed  to  "  poor-house  regulations,"  and  the  sale  of 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  315 

paupers  to  the  lowest  bidder  ;  those  who  are  objects  of 
public  charity,  he  would  support  at  the  least  expense  to  the 
public,  but  never  allow  them  to  be  starved  to  death  for  the 
benefit  of  the  contractor. 

The  youngest  child  of  Xat  Brandon,  was  marked  out  by 
relentless  fate  for  a  sufi'erer.  In  the  fits  of  inebriation  of  her 
father,  she  was  an  object  of  hatred,  because  she  disturbed 
him,  no  matter  whether  by  crying  or  playful  prattle.  In 
the  poor-house  she  was  the  weakest  and  most  helpless 
object  for  tyrants  to  wreak  their  vengeance  upon.  In  her 
new  home,  in  consequence  of  previous  abuse,  and  ill  health, 
she  was  peevish,  and  for  that  was  scolded  and  irritated  by  all 
above  her,  so  that  her  mother  was  the  more  willing  to  part 
with  her,  since  she  was  not  only  unhappy  there  herself,  but 
the  cause  of  a  great  deal  of  unhappiness  to  others.  The 
woman  who  proposed  to  take  her,  stipulated  that  she  must 
be  given*  up  entirely  to  her,  because  she  wanted  to  treat  her 
exactly  as  though  she  was  her  own,  and  have  her  grow  up  to 
feel  that  she  had  no  other  father  and  mother,  or  brothers  and 
sisters,  and  then  she  would  be  contented.  It  would  have 
been  a  hard  task  a  few  months  before  to  Maria  Louise,  to 
part  with  her  children,  particularly  the  youngest,  but  now 
she  felt  the  necessity,  and  rejoiced  at  the  opportunity  of 
finding,  "  one  who  would  be  a  mother  to  her  ;  one  of  such 
standing  and  high  reputation,  that  she  felt  pleased  to  think 
that  fortune  had  at  length  smiled  upon -her." 

The  new  home  of  Luthella,  was  about  twenty  miles  from 
her  mother,  with  but  little  intercourse  between  the  neighbor 
hoods,  so  that  she  seldom  heard  from  them,  and  then  always 


316  GREEN- MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

that,  "  Ella  was  very  contented  and  happy,  and  very  fond  of 
her  new  mamma." 

Mrs.  Flint  took  good  care  that  she  should  retain  no 
memory  of  anything  connected  with  her  former  home  and 
friends,  except  the  horrors  and  starvation  that  she  endured 
in  the  poor-house,  so  that  by  contrasting  her  present  situa 
tion  with  that,  she  might  think  the  last  was  better  than  the 
first.  She  soon  began  to  feel  that  she  had  no  other  home, 
and  perhaps  did  not  know  that  there  were  any  better  ones — 
in  time,  she  began  to  realize  that  none  could  be  worse. 

For  seven  years  she  slept  upon  rags  for  a  bed,  with  rags 
for  a  covering,  and  a  bag  of  wool  for  a  pillow,  in  the  garret, 
where  she  could  scarcely  stand  erect,  and  where,  if  it  had 
not  been  for  her  bedfellow,  the  cat,  she  might  have  been 
eaten  by  animals  that  her  best  friend  kept  away.  Though 
pussey  could  drive  away  the  rats,  she  could  not  rid  the  place 
of  smaller  vermin,  that  sucked  the  blood  of  the  poor  child 
every  night.  For  seven  years  Luthella  never  knew  the  lux 
ury  of  a  clean  sheet,  and  pillows.  Her  dress  by  day,  was 
her  bed-gown  by  night.  She  crept  up  a  ladder  in  the  dark, 
and  lay  down  upon  her  rug  on  the  floor,  wrapping  the  old 
quilt  around  her,  as  she  lay  curled  up  in  the  least  possible 
compass,  to  keep  her  from  freezing. 

Mrs.  Flint's  discipline  for  children,  consisted  in  the  liberal 
use  of  the  rod.  Her  arguments  were,  a  word  and  a  blow, 
the  latter  generally  taking  precedence.  The  slightest  dis 
obedience,  or  direliction  of  rules,  or  even  accident  or  misfor 
tune,  such  as  breaking  a  dish,  or  having  her  milk-pail  upset 
by  a  vicious  cow,  was  sure  to  bring  the  rod,  cutting  the  deli- 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  317 

cate  skin  of  the  helpless  child,  till  the  blood  marked  the 
stripes  on  her  back,  or  fragile  limbs. 

"  Often,"  said  she  to  me,  while  relating  the  incidents  of 
her  life,  "have  I  scaled  the  beams  of  the  barn,  at  the  risk 
of  my  life,  or  tore  my  flesh  in  the  briars,  hunting  for  hens' 
eggs,  because  my  mistress  had  promised  '  to  give  me  a  good 
dressing  down,'  if  I  failed  to  bring  her  a  given  quantity; 
and  well  I  knew  that  such  promises  were  always  kept,  while 
all  her  promises  of  rewards,  were  as  surely  broken.  I  have 
been  whipped  as  a  '  lazy  slut,'  for  not  bringing  eggs  when  I 
had  done  my  best  to  find  them,  until  I  could  scarcely  crawl 
up  to  my  bed,  if  such  a  thing  may  be  called  a  bed,  and  then 
because  I  sobbed,  and  groaned,  in  my  miserable  sleep,  was 
whipped  again  in  the  morning,  'for  disturbing  the  house  ;' 
and  in  one  case,  hit  with  a  piece  of  iron,  that  inflicted  a 
ghastly  wound  on  my  head,  leaving  this  scar,  which 
laid  me  up  for  some  days.  For  this  act  of  cruelty, 
Mr.  Flint  undertook  to  say  a  word  in  my  behalf,  but 
his  wife  told  him,  '  to  shut  up,  and  mind  his  own  busi 
ness,  and  let  her  manage  her  qwn  affairs.'  It  was  necessary, 
she  said,  to  beat  me  within  an  inch  of  my  life,  or  there  would 
be  no  living  with  me  in  the  house — that  I  would  do  nothing 
only  as  I  was  driven  to  it.  He  replied,  that  I  always  did 
everything  he  asked  me  to  do,  and  he  never  beat  me.  That, 
she  said,  was  just  what  spoiled  me  ;  and  if  he  wan't  so  easy, 
and  always  speaking  good-natured  to  me,  and  making  me 
feel  above  my  business,  she  should  not  have  half  the  trouble 
to  manage  my  unruly  temper. 

"  It  was  quite  accidental,"  said  Luthella,  "  that  I  over- 


318  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

heard  this  conversation,  but  I  was  accused  of  listening,  and 
as  a  matter  of  course,  in  the  state  of  temper  Mrs.  Flint  was 
in,  I  did  not  escape  a  terrible  infliction  of  her  rod.  It  was 
the  last  feather  that  broke  the  camel's  back,  and  this  broke 
her  power  over  me.  I  had  often  thought  of  running  away, 
but  I  had  now  got  to  be  so  big  a  girl,  that  I  was  afraid  and 
ashamed  to  go  among  folks  with  my  bare  head  and  feet,  and 
ragged,  dirty  dress.  All  that  was  decent  to  wear,  such  as 
I  was  clothed  in  to  go  to  meeting,  at  which  my  mistress  was 
a  regular  attendant,  and  I  an  occasional  one,  was  taken 
away  and  locked-up,  as  soon  as  I  reached  home.  It  hap 
pened  the  next  morning  after  this  last  severe  beating,  that 
I  was  sent  in  a  hurry  to  a  neighbor's  house,  and  without 
thinking  of  appearances,  Mrs.  Flint  told  me  to  run  in  a 
hurry,  and  go  quick,  and  go  just  as  I  was,  and  not  stop  to 
get  the  old  shawl,  usually  put  on  to  hide  my  miserable  dress, 
and  more  miserable  person. 

"  The  morning  was  very  cold,  and  frosty,  and  my  bare  feet 
tender,  and  my  limbs,  so  stiff  and  sore,  that  getting  over  the 
half  mile  to  the  house  where  I  was  sent  was  a  severe  job, 
and  I  arrived  crying  bitterly. 

"  Mrs.  Sebring  did  not  know  me  ;  she  had  never  seen 
me,  of  late  years,  except  in  my  tidy  garb  at  meeting.  She 
had  heard  that  Mrs.  Flint  did  not  use  her  bound  girl  well, 
but  she  thought  it  was  all  scandal.  She  was  a  very  kind- 
hearted,  good  woman  herself,  and  could  not  conceive  how 
one  in  her  own  likeness  could  ill-use  a  child,  particularly  a 
1  poor-house  child,'  as  I  was  always  called. 

"  I  did  my  errand  at  the  door  timidly,  to  Capt.  Sebring, 


GREEK -MOUNTAIN      G I R L 3  ^y  319 

and  was  about  to  hurry  off  as  fast  as  I  could  run  home,  when 
he  said,  '  Stop,  child,  go  in  and  warm  yourself,  yon  look  half 
frozen.'  I  tried  to  get  away  ;  I  was  ashamed  to  have  his 
boys  and  girls  in  their  neat,  clean  dresses,  see  me  in  my 
miserable  dirty  frock  ;  but  the  good  man  took  me  by  the 
hand,  and  led  me  into  the  house,  and  two  or  three  of  the 
children  jumped  up  simultaneously  of  their  own  impulse,  to 
give  me  a  seat  by  the  fire. 

"  'Dear,  me,'  said  Mrs.  Sebring,  '  what  a  miserable  little 
beggar-girl  you  have  brought  in  here  among  the  children  ; 
are  you  not  afraid  they  will  catch  something  ?' 

"  'This  is  no  beggar-girl ;  it  is  the  one  that  lives  at  Mrs. 
Flint's,  mother,'  said  Lafrasia,  her  eldest  daughter. 

"' What— Flint's  bound  girl?  .Do  you  live  at  Flint's? 
"What  is  your  name  ?' 

" '  They  call  me  El — I  believe  it  is  Ella  ;'  said  I  trembling 
like  a  culprit,  as  the  old  lady  took  hold  of  my  arm  to  try  to 
make  me  look  up  in  her  face.  My  back  smarted  with  my 
last  beating,"  and  I  felt  the  wound  open  afresh  at  the 
thought  of  how  I  should  be  whipped  again  because  I  stayed 
so  long. 

"  '  You  believe  it  is  Ella  ;  poor  girl,  have  you  forgotten 
your  name  ?  It  is  Luthella  Brandon.  Don't  you  remember 
your  mother,  poor  thing,  and  the  name  you  was  born  to 
bear  ?' 

"  There  was  something  in  that  name  that  awakened  a 
tender  chord  of  my  heart,  and  as  it  thrilled  through  me, 
seemed  to  carry  me  back  to  the  time  when  I  was  fondly 
pressed  to  that  mother's  bosom,  and  I  burst  into  tears. 


320  GP.E  E  X-il  CONTAIN     GIRLS. 

Mrs.  Sebring  drew  me  towards  her  and  I  sunk  my  head 
down  upon  her  lap  to  smother  the  sobs  that  I  could  not 
suppress,  for  I  felt  as  though  I  must  not  utter  them,  if  I  did,  I 
should  be  beaten  for  '  disturbing  the  house/  as  I  had  so 
often  been  before.  It  seems  that  as  I  stooped  forward,  my 
frock  opened  behind,  and  showed  the  stripes  of  my  latest 
cruel  whipping.  Lafrasia  was  the  first  to  see  it,  and  as 
she  did  so,  almost  fainted  at  the  sight.  She  was  so  affected 
she  could  not  speak,  but  pointed  to  my  back.  This  drew  the 
attention  of  her  mother,  and  the  other  children,  and  Mrs. 
Sebring  unbuttoned  my  frock — I  wore  no  other  garment — 
and  there  was  my  back  a  gore  of  blood,  where  it  had 
trickled  down  from  the  blackened  stripes,  and  dried  upon 
the  skin. 

"The  mother  and  every  child  burst  into  tears.  Capt. 
Sebring,  usually  the  mildest  of  men,  did  not  cry.  Capt. 
Sebring  swore.  Mrs.  Sebring  said, 

"'Why,  father  !' 

"  Capt.  Sebring  said, 

"'Well  mother,  what  is  it  ?' 

"  Mother  mildly  said, 

" '  She  shall  stay  here.' 

'"Stay  here,"  said  Capt.  Sebring,  with  another  pretty 
strong  word,  for  he  was  very  angry,  "  stay  here  ;  that  is 
what  she  shall.  I  would  sooner  throw  a  child  into  a  den  of 
hyenas,  than  let  her  go  back  there.  If  she  is  a  hyena 
herself,  she  shall  not  be  flayed  alive.  I  never  saw  such  an 
awful  sight.  It  is  equal  to  what  we  read  of  among  the 
slaves. 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. ^  321 

"  '  I  suppose,'  said  Mrs.  Sebring,  '  that  we  ought  to 
inquire  whether  she  deserved  punishment.' 

"  '  Deserve  punishment !'  said  the  captain,  '  no  child  ever 
deserved  such  punishment.  We  never  have  punished  our 
children  with  a  blow  of  a  stick  in  our  lives,  and  few  children 
are  more  obedient.  I  think  this  is  about  the  hardest  punish 
ment  they  ever  had,  to  look  at  what  they  have  seen  this 
morning.' 

" '  Indeed  it  is,  father,"  said  Lafrasia,  putting  her  arms 
around  his  neck,  and  kissing  him,  '  but  I  hope  all  of  ua 
will  be  better  for  it,  and  love  you  the  more,  to  see  you  take 
the  part  of  the  abused  one,  so  earnestly.  I  never  heard  you 
swear  before,  father.' 

"  '  My  dear,  forgive  me,  but  I  could  not  help  it.  Go,  take 
the  child,  and  see  if  you  can't  find  some  better  clothes  for 
her,  and  let  us  see  how  she  will  look  decently  dressed.' 

"  '  Stop  a  minute,'  said  her  mother,  '  I  want  to  ask  her 
what  she  could  have  done,  to  incur  such  a  terrible  infliction 
of  cruelty.  Will  you  tell  me  the  truth,  now,  like  a  good 
girl,  as  you  look  as  though  you  might  be  ?' 

"  I  took  her  hand  in  both  of  mine,  dropping  upon  my  knees 
and  looking  up  in  her  face,  said,  just  what  in  my  heart  I  felt : 

"  '  I  will  tell  you  the  truth.  If  you  will  let  me  stay  here, 
and  won't  let  me  be  whipped  any  more.  I  never  will  tell 
you  a  lie,  and  I  will  be  a  good  girl,  and  I  will  love  you — if 
you  will  let  me.' 

"  '  Then  tell  me  who  whipped  you,  and  what  for  you  were 
punished.' 

"  I  did  so  truthfully,  and  she  then  said,  there,  that  will  do 
14* 


322  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

now  ;  you  may  go  with  the  girls,  and  they  will  look  up  some 
of  their  old  dresses,  for  you  for  the  present.  You  need  not 
be  afraid  that  Mrs.  Flint  will  be  after  you,  Capt.  Sebring 
will  see  to  that.'  " 

Capt.  Sebring  did  see  to  that.  Mrs.  Flint  stormed  and 
threatened.  Capt.  Sebring  was  calm,  and  mildly  proposed 
to  submit  the  case  to  the  grand  jury  and  the  court.  Mrs. 
Flint  upon  that  hint,  thought  best  to  keep  quiet  ;  contenting 
herself  with  tearing  up  the  indentures,  and  telling  him 
"  now  he  had  got  the  poor-house  brat,  he  might  keep  her  ; 
for  her  part  she  had  been  tormented  long  enough  with  her 
wicked  pranks — she  was  glad  to  get  clear  of  such  a  wicked 
young  imp  of  Satan." 

Capt.  Sebring  replied  ;  "  Mrs.  Flint,  whenever  you  want 
to  see  wickedness,  you  need  not  go  farther  than  the  looking- 
glass.  But  I  am  not  going  to  quarrel  with  you.  Good 
bye." 

It  was  a  long  while  before  Luthella  could  be  prevailed 
upon  to  divulge  all  the  cruelties  to  which  she  had  been  sub 
jected,  and  not  till  she  had  left  the  neighborhood  to  live 
with  Mrs.  "Welldon,  a  widow  lady,  a  relative  of  the  Sebrings, 
who  resided  some  miles  nearer  her  mother.  She  had  been 
often  told,  that  if  she  ever  told  one  of  the  neighbors  anything 
about  her  treatment,  that  she  should  be  strangled  in  her 
sleep,  and  for  months  after  she  left,  she  used  to  start  up  in 
the  wildest  alarm,  dreaming  that  her  time  had  come.  Her 
new  home  was  a  perfect  contrast  to  her  former  one.  She 
was  treated  like  a  human  being,  and  not  as  a  brute.  She  was 
sent  to  school,  and  obtained  as  good  an  education,  as  usually 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  323 

falls  to  the  lot  of  scholars  in  a  new  country  log  school-house. 
With  the  development  of  the  intellectual  faculties,  and  the 
influence  of  social  friendship,  and  embellishment  of  good 
apparel,  came  personal  beauty,  and  at  fifteen,  she  was  not 
only  good  looking,  but  smart  and  ambitious  to  do  something 
for  herself.  She  had  learned  something  of  the  history  of 
her  family  ;  had  visited  her  mother,  but  it  was  not  home 
there.  The  new  brothers  and  sisters  looked  upon  Luthella 
as  an  alien,  and  their  father  was  not  her  father  ;  while  his 
children  looked  upon  all  the  children  of  Maria  Louise,  as 
interlopers  upon  their  rightful  domain.  They  did  not  take 
into  consideration,  that  the  property  more  rightfully 
belonged  to  her  and  her  children,  than  it  did  to  Risley  or 
themselves. 

Luthella  heard  the  history  of  her  half-sister,  Celestine, 
and  felt  a  sort  of  romantic  interest  in  her. 

"  It  seemed  to  me,"  said  she,  "  that  in  some  way  my  des 
tiny  and  hers  were  linked  together.  There  was  a  strong 
impression  upon  my  mind,  that  we  should  yet  meet,  and 
love  each  other  ;  but  when,  where,  or  how  it  was  to  be 
brought  about,  I  had  not  the  most  distant  idea.  It  only 
seemed  to  me  it  was  to  be  so.  and  I  dreamed  of  the  possible 
way  it  would  be  accomplised,  time  after  time,  but  every  time 
different  from  the  preceeding.  Sometimes  she  was  sick,  and 
I  nursed  her  with  a  sister's  tender  care  ;  sometimes  she  was 
drowning,  and  I  rescued  her  at  the  very  last  gasp  of  life  ; 
sometimes  she  was  followed  by  wolves,  such  as  I  had  heard 
were  the  immediate  cause  of  her  mother's  death,  and  often 
these  wolves  wore  the  countenances  of  men.  I  felt  mvself 


324  GREEN -MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

drawn  irresistibly  toward  this  poor  girl,  without  being  able 
to  tell  why,  until  it  became  a  sort  of  diseased  state  of  mind, 
that  I  could  not  endure.  I  finally  began  to  feel  as  though 
I  must  not  sit  still  any  longer,  without  an  effort  to  shake 
off  this  delusion  of  the  mind,  for  I  could  not  believe  in  the 
possibility  of  ever  having  any  of  my  childish  dreams  realized, 
for  I  had  never  seen  Celestine  since  I  was  old  enough  to 
remember  her,  and  should  not  know  her,  though  I  met  her 
every  day,  changed  as  she  might  be  from  the  description 
given  me  of  her  face,  and  personal  appearance,  by  my 
mother.  Yes,  there  was  one  mark,  the  scar  of  a  burn  upon 
one  of  her  hands,  which  took  the  form  of  the  initial  letters 
of  her  name,  remarkably  distinct.  Yet  how  likely  that  I 
might  pass  her,  or  sit  for  a  whole  day  by  her  side,  without 
thinking  of  such  a  mark,  or  noticing  it,  even  should  it  not 
be  covered  with  a  glove.  I  finally  argued  myself  into  the 
belief,  that  a  recognition  of  my  lost  sister,  would  be  a  thing 
almost  impossible,  and  that  it  was  a  preposterous  phantasy 
of  the  brain,  that  I  would  not  think  of  again.  But  I  was 
not  satisfied  in  my  present  position,  though  my  mistress,  or 
benefactor  rather,  had  been,  and  still  was,  like  a  mother  to 
me.  I  wanted  to  be  more  independent  ;  and,  must  I  acknow 
ledge  it  ?  I  wanted  to  escape  from  a  neighborhood  where  I 
had  been  pointed  at  as  the  child  of  a  father  who  died  in  a 
state-prison.  I  wanted  to  go  where  I  never  should  hear  of 
the  shame  of  my  mother.  While  in  this  state  of  mind,  an 
agent  came  into  the  neighborhood,  soliciting  girls  to  go  to 
Massachusetts,  to  work  in  a  cotton  factory.  Every  feeling 
that  I  had  lulled  to  sleep  about  Celestitie,  waked  into  life  at 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  325 

the  very  sound  of  factory-girl,  for  that  was  where  it  was 
said  she  had  gone.  I  asked  advice  of  my  friend,  and  she 
said,  '  Go,  and  may  God's  blessing  attend  you,  and  the  wish 
nearest  your  heart,  be  crowned  with  success,  for  I  know  it 
is  for  your  sister,  and  not  for  selfish  motives,  that  you  are 
expatriating  yourself  from  your  place  of  nativity,  and  going 
alone,  unprotected  among  strangers.  But  you  will  find  no 
difficulty,  if  you  will  always  remember  that  you  have  nothing 
to  depend  upon,  but  virtue  and  honor,  and  that  the  least 
spot,  or  tarnish  upon  their  escutcheon,  can  never  be  effaced. 
You  will  meet  with  sore  trials  and  temptations,  but  if  you 
resist  through  all  extremities,  you  will  be  rewarded  at  last.' 

"  With  this  advice  of  Mrs.  Welldon,  and  her  blessing 
nestling  in  my  heart,  I  turned  my  back  upon  all  acquain 
tances,  friends,  and  enemies,  and,  a  poor,  helpless,  delicate 
girl,  not  yet  sixteen  years  old,  went  away  alone  in  the  wide 
world,  among  utter  strangers." 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  journey— Peering  into  strange  faces,  in  search  of  a  lost  sister— New  home— New 
scenes— New  friends— Luthella  meets  a  wolf  in  her  path — Familiar  things  in 
every-day  life — Scandal  and  scars— The  spy-glass  and  the  spy— A  new  friend 
and  a  new  cause  of  tears— Another  journey — The  stage  coach— The  wind  and 
autumn  leaves — Reveries — the  stage  horn — A  vision  of  Celestine  in  the  clouds 
—Oh,  my  Sister,  speak  to  me— The  vision  fades,  and  reality  appears — The  glove 
The  scar — The  recognition — The  curtain  falls. 

IT  might  have  been  thought  by  one  who  could  not  under- 
etand  her  motives,  that  Luthella  was  a  very  rude  girl,  from 
the  way  that  she  peered  into  the  face  of  every  girl  she  met, 
whose  age,  complexion,  color  of  the  eyes  and  hair,  compared 
with  the  picture,  engraven  upon  her  mind,  of  Celestine.  But 
with  all  her  searching,  she  found  no  one  that  filled  that 
description.  Of  the  hundreds  of  those  with  whom  she 
came  in  contact,  in  her  new  occupation,  she  met  with  no  one 
who  had  seen  or  heard  of  the  lost  one  ;  and  at  length,  amid 
new  scenes  and  new  excitements  of  her  hitherto  monotonous 
life,  she  ceased  to  remember  that  such  a  being  had  lived. 
At  any  rate,  it  was  with  her  as  with  most  of  us,  we  forget 
those  absent  as  we  do  the  dead,  for  others  nearer,  and  still 
more  near  and  dear  friends.  It  is  no  wonder,  then,  that 
Celestine  passed  into  forgetful  ness,  for  the  living  monopolize 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN  GIRLS.          321 

the  place  of  those  in  the  grave.  Let  us  then  follow  the  for 
tune  of  the  living. 

Luthella  was  industrious,  quick  to  learn  her  new  duties, 
was  esteemed  by  her  co-laborers  and  employers,  and  was 
contented  and  happy,  for  months,  but  it  did  not  last.  The 
wolf  was  in  her  path. 

One  of  the  employees  of  the  same  company  where  she  was 
engaged,  though  much  her  senior,  was  still  young  enough  to 
pass  for  a  gay  young  man,  had  attached  himself  to  Luthella 
soon  after  her  arrival,  and  to  her  seemed  a  most  devoted 
lover. 

It  is  idle  to  say  that  she  was  not  proud  of  the  attentions 
of  so  handsome  a  man,  who  seemed  jealous  of  the  least  atten 
tions  offered  her  by  any  one  else.  He  walked  with  her, 
talked  and  sung  songs  with  her  ;  took  her  out  riding  ; 
waited  upon  her  to  evening  parties,  and  neighborhood  visits  ; 
and,  above  all,  was  equally  attentive  with  herself  upon  reli 
gious  worship.  It  was  in  vain  that  older  girls  told  her  that 
he  had  done  just  so  for  years,  to  every  new  comer  with  a 
pretty  face,  and  that  he  had  no  design  of  marrying  her,  as 
he  had  led  her  to  believe  ;  though  perhaps  he  had  never 
declared  in  so  many  words,  that  was  his  purpose.  She  could 
not  believe  the  tale  told  her  upon  promise  of  secresy,  by  one 
of  the  girls  who  pretended  to  be  her  friend,  that  he  had  a 
wife  living  in  Rhode  Island,  who  had  left  him  and  gone 
back  with  her  little  girl  to  her  father's  house,  because  her 
husband  had  seduced  a  beautiful  young  girl  that  he  brought 
from  the  state  of  New  York,  to  work  in  a  cotton  factory 
under  his  charge.  She  was,  she  told  him,  a  poor  helpless 


328  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

orphan,  who  he  should  have  protected,  and  not  ruined,  as 
he  did  by  promising  her  marriage.  I  know,"  said  she,  "  that 
he  is  a  villain." 

"  Then  why,"  said  Luthella,  "  why  not  denounce  him  ?" 

.The  reason  came  out  at  last,  that  in  telling  of  his  villainy 
with  another,  she  might  also  criminate  herself.  This  in  the 
eyes  of  Luthella,  was  sufficient  reason  why  she  should  not 
believe  the  story.  "  Probably,  thought  she,  it  is  only  because 
she  is  jealous,  and  wants  to  get  him  away  from  me.  I  will 
not  believe  that  any  man  can  be  such  a  villain." 

Poor,  unsophisticated  country  girl !  She  was  sixteen 
then  ;  she  is  older  now,  and  probably  can  believe  that  a 
man  may  swear  eternal  love,  honor,  truthfulness,  and  virtue, 
and  still  be  all  that  her  companion  truthfully  represented 
her  lover  to  be.  She  could  not  believe  it  then  ;  she  was 
fascinated,  and  day  by  day  the  serpent  was  drawing  her 
nearer  and  nearer  within  the  charmed  circle.  Every  art 
that  he  could  devise  to  render  her  an  easy  prey  when  he  got 
ready  to  strike,  was  resorted  to,  as  much  as  possible  with 
out  exciting  her  suspicions.  If  he  had  been  content  to  wait 
the  slow  process,  by  which  many  a.  poor  bird  has  been 
allured  till  it  dropped  resistless  into  the  serpent's  fangs, 
he  might  have  succeeded  ;  but  he  was  unwilling  to  wait,  and 
the  scales  fell  from  her  eyes  ;  the  charm  was  broken  ; 
visions  of  hope  and  happiness  dissolved  like  a  mist,  and  she 
stood  alone  again  without  a  friend  in  the  world  ;  those  who 
were  yesterday  jealous  of  her,  hated  her  to-day. 

What  for  ? 

Because  he  had  not  accomplished  just  what   they  had 


GREEK -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  329 

prophesied  that  he  would,  or  because,  by  her  threats  to 
denounce  him,  she  had  driven  "  one  of  the  nicest  young  men 
in  the  village  "  away  from  their  society. 

Life  now  had  lost  its  charm,  and  though  she  had  done 
one  of  the  noblest  acts  of  her  life,  she  found  that  she  was 
the  object  of  suspicion,  and  the  target  for  their  shafts  of 
slander.  Busy  tongues  of  scandal  said  : 

"  Ah,  she  puts  on  a  great  many  airs  of  virtuous  indigna 
tion,  but  if  the  truth  was  known — well,  it's  no  use  talking — 
But  I  guess  that — don't  you  think  so,  Lizzy  Jane  ?" 

"  Indeed,  I  do  ;  I  think  just  as  you  do  about  the 'matter. 
Xo  doubt  he  went  off  to  get  rid  of  marrying  the  proud, 
stuck-up  thing.  The  idea  of  her  trying  to  captivate  a  man 
so  much  older  than  she  is.  It  is  shameful,  indeed  it  is. 
Don't  you  think  so  ?" 

"  You  may  bet  on  that,  and  she  not  a  year  here  yet,  and 
to  be  carrying  on  so.  I  should  like  to  know  where  she 
came  from,  for  I  never  could  get  her  to  tell  who  her  father 
was  ;  only  that  he  is  dead  ;  or  where  her  mother  lives,  or 
anything  about  herself  1  And  so  I  don't  think  much  of  her, 
anyway  you  can  fix  it  ;  that  I  don't." 

"Nor  I  either.  But  that  is  nothing  to  what  Fred 
Willfred — you  know,  my  Fred,  as  the  girls  call  him — told 
me,  but  that  is  a  secret.  You  won't  tell  any  one,  will  you, 
if  I  do  tell  you  ?  Well  then,  you  know  she  never  would  go 
in  bathing  with  any  of  us  girls,  but  sneaks  off  alone  down  to 
the  girl's  bathing-ground.  So  Fred — you  know  what  a  mis 
chievous  fellow  Fred  is — he  thought  he  would  find  out  what 
it  was  for,  and  so  he  climbed  up  into  one  of  them  sycamore 


330  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

trees  with  a  spy-glass,  and  would  you  believe  it,  he  says  'her 
back  is  as  striped  as  a  garter-snake,  where  she  has  been 
licked  ;  and  when  the  skin  is  wet  and  cold,  the  colors  come 
out  on  the  old  scars  as  plain  as  a  rainbow.'  Now  you  must 
not  tell  this,  'cause  the  girls  would  be  mad  enough  to 
murder  Fred,  if  they  knew  that  he  did  such  a  thing,  and 
the  overseer  would  discharge  him  ;  but  don't  you  think  that 
she  must  have  been  tied  up  to  the  whipping-post  for 
stealing,  for  it  don't  stand  to  reason  that  her  mother,  or 
anybody  where -she  has  lived,  if  she  has  been  a  bound  girl, 
could  mark  up  her  back  in  that  way.  I  can  tell  you,  I  shall 
look  out  for  her  light  fingers." 

"  So  shall  I." 

"  Now  you  won't  tell,  will  you  ?" 

"  Oh,  no,  not  I." 

No,  she  did  not  tell  of  the  mean  act  of  the  young  scamp 
with  his  spy-glass  ;  but  she  did  tell  that  "  Luthella  was  a 
thief,  and  had  been  convicted  and  whipped  for  it,  and  that  she 
carried  the  marks  upon  her  back,  and  that  was  the  reason 
that  she  would  not  sleep  with  any  one,  and  was  always  so 
careful  about  letting  anybody  see  her  undressed,  and  that 
was  why  she  never  told  any  one  where  she  came  from,  only 
York  state,  or  where  her  friends  lived,  if  she  had  any.  And, 
for  my  part,  I  don't  wonder  that  her  beau  ran  off  and  left 
her  in  such  a  hurry,  if  he  got  a  sight  of  her  back." 

This  vile  story  was  confirmed  by  a  similar  one  from  Lizzy 
Jane  ;  and  finally,  Fred  told  some  of  his  associates  what  he 
had  seen,  "  as  a  good  joke." 

Poor  Luthella  !  she  found  that  virtuous  conduct,  if  "  it 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  331 

will  win  at  last,"  did  not  always  meet  with  a  ready  reward. 
First,  her  boarding-house  keeper  told  her  that  she  wanted 
her  to  find  a  new  place,  without  assigning  any  reason, 
except  "  that  the  girl  that  used  to  occupy  that  room,  was 
coming  back,  and  wanted  it  ;  and  as  Luthella  was  so  mighty 
particular  about  going  in  with  other  girls,  she  could  not 
keep  her  any  longer." 

The  truth  was  that  there  was  an  unquenchable  curiosity 
to  get  a  sight  of  the  scars  of  those  cruel  stripes,  which  if 
seen,  would  be  proof  positive  that  she  was  a  convicted  thief, 
and  had  been  whipped  at  the  public  whipping-post. 

If  such  barbarity  was  ever  justifiable  as  a  punishment  of 
the  culprit  who  stole  a  coat,  or  loaf  of  bread,  in  his  straits  of 
necessity,  how  much  more  should  it  be  inflicted  upon  those 
who  would  rob  an  innocent  girl  of  her  only  treasure — her 
good  name. 

This  is  no  fancy  sketch,  of  what  might  have  happened  in 
some  far-off  barbarous  country  in  the  dark  ages,  but  a  rela 
tion  of  what  has  transpired  within  a  few  years,  in  a  manufac 
turing  village  near  the  banks  of  the  Connecticut  river, 
through  which  as  the  wayfaring  traveller  passes  on  his  tour 
between  the  American  seat  of  learning  and  the  great 
emporium,  he  exclaims,  "what  a  sweet  village,  and  what 
a  host  of  happy  girls  !" 

There  was  one  that  was  not  happy.  Luthella  had 
escaped  one  destroyer  of  innocence,  to  fall  into  the  hands 
of  others,  who  of  all  the  world  should  be  its  protectors. 
She  was  scarcely  recovered  from  the  shock  she  felt  at  the 
discovery  of  such  baseness  in  one  she  had  began  to  look 


332  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

upon  not  only  with  eyes  of  friendship,  but  love,  when  she 
found  herself  turned  out  of  house  and  home,  for  hers  and  all 
the  other  boarding-houses  in  the  village  were  closed  against 
her.  The  truth  is,  she  was  proscribed  by  the  most  tyrannic 
power  on  earth — public  opinion — and  the  decree  of  banish 
ment  had  already  gone  forth.  In  her  extremity,  she  sought 
a  private  interview  with  the  factory  agent,  who  proved  to  be 
a  man,  not  merely  an  animal  wearing  his  likeness,  and  to  him 
she  told  a  part  of  her  truthful  story,  which  he  believed  ; 
but,  as  he  said,  she  might  just  as  well  undertake  to"  turn 
back  the  current  of  the  river,  as  to  stem  the  torrent  of 
calumny  setting  against  her. 

"  You  had  better  go  away." 

"  So  I  would,  but  where  shall  I  go  ?  I  have  no  home, 
no  friends,  I  am  alone  in  the  world."  And  she  burst  into 
tears.  Such  tears — tears  of  real  distress  in  a  woman — a 
young  girl — always  touch  the  heart.  The  agent  said 
kindly  : 

"  Don't  cry.  I  will  be  a  friend  to  you.  Can  you  do 
house  work  ?  Yes,  very  well,  a  friend  of  mine  who  keeps 

a  public  house  in  the  town  of  C wants  one  or  two  girls 

to  wait  on  table  and  do  light  housework.  I  will  give  you 
a  letter  to  him,  and  you  will  get  the  situation,  and  good 
wages  ;  and  if  you  know  of  any  other  girl  that  would  like 
such  a  place,  you  can  get  it  for  her,  only  don't  take  any  of 
our  factory  girls  ;  I  can't  spare  them,  and  would  not  part 
with  you,  under  any  other  circumstances,  for  you  have  been  a 
very  industrious,  good  girl,  and  on  that  account,  besides  the 
balance  of  your  wages,  I  will  make  you  a  present  of  this." 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  333 

"  And  with  the  letter  of  recommendation  he  placed  in  my 
hands  a  ten  dollar  bill.  I  lost  no  time,"  said  she,  "  in  get 
ting  ready  for  another  journey,  and  in  two  days,  I  was  on  my 
way  with  a  light  heart,  and  I  have  no  doubt  smiling  face,  to 

the  town  of  C ,  by  a  conveyance  that  we  now  look  upon 

as  a  sort  of  relic  of  a  by-gone  age,  when  people  did  travel 
by  stage  coaches. 

"  At  the  town  of  N the  stage  stopped,  and  I  had  to 

wait  some  hours  at  the  hotel,  for  another  one  that  would 
take  me  to  my  destination.  It  was  a  gloomy  autumn  day, 
too  early  to  have  a  fire  ;  too  cold,  to  be  comfortable  without 
one.  The  clouds  were  hurled  about  in  the  atmosphere,  and 
driven  into  all  sorts  of  fantastic  shapes  overhead  by  the 
constant  blowing,  ever-changing  wind.  The  beautiful  tinted 
maple  leaves,  came  down  in  showers  from  numerous  trees 
that  some  benefactor  of  his  race  had  planted  along  both 
sides  of  the  road.  Now  they  represented  a  flock  of  wild 
birds  in  the  air — now  they  flew  down  and  danced  a  cotillion 
or  country  dance  in  the  road,  to  the  music  of  the  wind,  as  it 
sighed  through  the  old  stone  walls  upon  each  side.  Then, 
just  as  though  they  were  tired  with  this  saltatory  exercise, 
they  went  off  and  laid  themselves  down  in  the  little  nooks 
and  corners  by  the  road-side,  or  round  the  corner  of  the 
barn,  where  the  old  sow  with  her  young  family  was  busy  con 
verting  the  late  representatives  of  birds  and  dancers,  into 
feathers  for  their  bed  during  the  frosty  night  that  instinct 
told  them  was  approaching. 

Now  for  a  little  space  all  was  calm,  and  the  sun's  rays  lay 
along  the  hill  so  sweet  and  warm,  that  I  longed  to  go  and 


334  GREEN- MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

sit  awhile  under  the  side  of  that  steep  rock,  in  sight  from 
the  parlor  window. 

"But  these  calm  spells  were  of  short  duration,  for  I  had 
scarcely  resolved  to  go  out,  when  a  fleecy  cloud  came  up 
rolling  over  the  distant  mountain  top,  shutting  out  the  sun 
shine,  and  then  came  the  wind  again,  screaming  like  old  Pan 
with  his  pipes,  and  then  down  flew  another  flock  of  maple 
leaf  birds  for  another  dance  in  the  road.  Oh,  it  was  a 
charming,  fascinating  sight,  and  I  sat  hour  after  hour,  gazing 
from  my  window,  completely  abstracted  from  the  world  of 
humanity  around  me.  For  months  I  had  forgotten  Celestine, 
as  much  as  though  she  had  never  lived.  What  mysterious 
influence  brought  her  again,  all  at  once,  before  me,  mixing 
up  her  face  and  form  in  the  fantastic  shapes  of  the  clouds, 
and  dancing  leaves  ?  It  seemed  as  though  she  came  on  the 
notes  of  a  far-off  stage  horn,  as  it  carolled  upon  the  wings 
of  the  wind  from  among  the  rocks  and  woods  of  the  moun 
tain  road,  by  which  the  western  stage  was  rapidly  approach 
ing.  This  was  to  be  my  conveyance  to  my  new  home,  but 
as  it  would  wait  dinner,  I  could  still  enjoy  for  a  while  longer 
the  fascination  of  my  reverie  among  the  clouds,  stone  walls, 
dusty  road,  maple  trees,  dancing  leaves,  not  forgetting  the 
rural  feature  of  the  pigs  by  the  barn.  What  were  stages 
or  stage  passengers  compared  to  these,  particularly  as  the 
form  of  my  lost  sister  grew  more  and  more  distinct.  I  could 
see  the  bonny  brown  locks  of  her  hair  hanging  in  curls  upon 
her  neck,  just  as  they  had  been  described  to  me,  years  before. 
Her  cheeks  seemed  a  little  sunken,  and  not  so  rosy  as  I 
expected.  The  thought  came  and  went  like  a  flash,  '  she  is 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  335 

DO  longer  a  rosy-cheeked  little  girl,  she  is  a  mother — perhaps 
she  has  such  a  little  girl  as  Celestine  was  in  days  passed 
away.  No,  she  has  not,  for  there  is  a  whole  cloud  of  flowing 
crape  spreading  over  and  wrapping  her  in  garments  of  mour 
ning,  but  it  does  not  hide  her  eyes  ;  they  are  as  bright  and 
as  blue  as  ever.  Oh  how  they  look  down  upon  me,  from 
their  spirit  home  in  the  clouds  ;  how  their  glances  go  like  elec 
tric  sparks  down  into  my  heart.  What  is  it  ?  What  spirit 
influence  overpowers  me  ?  Where  am  I  ?  I  was  conscious 
that  the  stage  had  driven  up  to  the  door,  and  that  some  one 
had  got  out  and  come  in  the  room,  for  I  heard  the  rustle  of 
her  silk  dress,  but  I  could  not  withdraw  my  eyes,  from  the 
vision  in  the  clouds,  for  I  thought  it  the  angel  form  of  my  sister, 
and  I  was  now  sure  that  that  was  her  resting-place,  and  not 
this  earth.  Yet  it  seemed  to  me  that  the  rustling  of  the  dress 
I  heard  was  her  dress.  Oh,  how  sweetly  she  did  smile  upon 
me,  as  she  seemed  to  be  fading  away  in  the  sky.  I  could 
not  bear  to  have  her  go,  and  not  give  me  a  word  of  recognition. 
I  felt  that  I  should  know  her  voice,  and  I  cried  out,  speak 
to  me,  one  word,  Oh  my  sister,  Celestine,  speak  to  me. 

"  '  Well,  my  dear,  what  is  it  ?     Are  you  dreaming  ?' 

"I  sprang  to  my  feet,  and  rubbed  my  eyes.  Was  I 
dreaming  I  That  form  ;  those  eyes  ;  the  curly  locks  of 
brown  hair  ;  my  vision  was  before  me.  It  was  not  in  the 
clouds  ;  it  stood  there  flesh  and  blood  like  myself,  in  the 
same  room.  And  I  cried  out,  Is  it  real  ?  Speak  again." 

"  '  Well,  what  shall  I  say  ?  Do  you  know  me  ?  Poor 
girl.' 

"  She  spoke  the  last  words  to  her  own  heart,  but  they 


OdO  GREEN- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

came  distinctly  to  mine.  She  thought  me  insane.  That 
voice  !  I  knew  that  I  should  know  that  voice,  though  I 
had  never  heard  it  except  in  my  cradle,  or  in  my  dreams. 
I  felt  that  I  could  not  be  deceived  ;  but  I  would  be  doubly 
sure.  I  stepped  forward,  and  said  ;  '  My  dear,  will  you  let 
me  see  your  hand  ;  the  other  one  ;  may  I  remove  the 
glove  ?' 

" '  Yes,  certainly.  Well,  what  do  you  see  ?  Do  you 
know  me  ?" 

"  The  hand  was  soft  and  warm.  It  had  not  come  cold  from 
the  grave  to  mock  me,  and  there  was  the  scar  ;  faded,  to  be 
sure,  but  it  was  there,  and  I  pressed  it  to  my  lips. 

"  '  Do  I  know  you  ?  Yes,  yes,  yes.  Do  you  know  me  ? 
Do  you  know  your  sister,  Luthella  ?  Yes,  yes,  you  are  my 
sister,  Celestine  Brandon.' 

"  It  was  not  a  dream  ;  I  had  seen  a  vision  ;  but  I  felt  the 
reality  now,  and  emotion  overpowered  me,  and  I  fell 
fainting  in  my  dear  sister's  arms." 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN"      GIRLS.  337 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

The  sisters  meet  and  love  each  other — The  story  of  Celestine's  wrongs — May  heaven 

for~ive — The  ride  to  C by  moonlight — New  England  scenery — Quillings — 

Apple-parings  and  huskings — The  old  red  house  and  the  school-house — The  village 
—The  green — The  church— The  tavern— The  drive  along  the  Mill-brook— The  old 

bell,  and  its  tones — Arrival  at  C Hotel  loungers— Virtuous  indignation, 

and  its  results — One  false  step  embitters  life — Reminiscences  of  childhood,  and 
recognition  of  childhood's  friends,  and  a  scene  of  death,  that  would  draw  tears 
from  a  stone's  heart. 

"  HAD  I  been  dreaming  !  was  I  dreaming  still ;  I  was  not, 
had  not  been  asleep,  yet  what  a  dream.  I  lost  my  con 
sciousness  for  a  moment,  when  I  saw  the  same  face  that 
I  had  seen  in  the  clouds — saw  it  now,  bending  over  me  as  I 
lay  upon  the  sofa,  just  as  I  had  seen  it  pictured  upon  the 
firmament,  and  now,  as  then,  I  expected  every  moment  to 
see  it  disappear.  I  even  feared  to  breathe,  lest  the  wind 
should  drive  the  thing  of  vapor  from  my  sight.  I  thought 
that  it  was  an  ethereal  essence — a  thing  of  air — a  cloud 
— or  else  in  the  moment  of  my  unconsciousness,  I  had 
myself  become  ethereal. 

"  As  it  does  in  a  dream,  how  my  mind  did  wander,  and  my 
imagination  condense  days  and  years  into  a  single  moment. 
How  intently  I  did  gaze  into  the  face  of  the  vision — my 
spirit  sister  ;  for  I  expected  every  moment  that  it  would 

15 


838  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

fade  away,  as  it  did  in  the  clouds,  until  I  began  to  feel  con 
scious  that  it  was  a  reality,  and  I  drew  her  lips  to  mine, 
and  kissed  them,  and  she  returned  the  token  of  love,  so 
warm  and  full  of  affection,  that  I  cried  out : 

"  '  Oh  !  then  you  are  my  sister,  Celestine  Brandon  !' 

"  '  Yes,  yes,  your  sister,  but  not  that  name.  My  mother 
gave  me  the  first,  and  I  have  disgraced  it — disgraced  her. 
The  other  was  my  father's ;  and  criminal  as  he  was,  1  am 
not  worthy  to  wear  his  name  ;  I  should  give  it  a  still 
darker  hue.  Oh  1  Luthella,  you  do  not  know  the  leper  that 
you  embrace.  You  must  not  call  me  sister.  You  are  pure, 
I  am  vile.  Lost,  lost,  lost !' 

"  She  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears,  sobbing  as  though  her 
heart  would  break. 
""  When  she  grew  a  little  calm,  I  said  : 

"  '  But  you  are  my  sister — child  of  a  mother  wronged  by 
my  father,  and  if  others  have  wronged  you,  or  if  you  have 
wronged  yourself,  I  will  not  forsake  you.  That  unseen 
spirit  that  guides  the  world,  has  led  me  on  for  years — has 
pictured  you  in  my  dreams  ;  has  painted  you  upon  the 
clouds  to  make  me  know,  and  love  you,  and  now  I  have  found 
you,  and  I  never  will  part  with  you,  till  death  parts  us.  If  you 
have  sinned,  all  I  have  to  say,  is,  '  sin  no  more  ;'  and  as  I 
would  be  forgiven,  so  I  forgive  you,  and  pray  that  God  may 
be  to  you,  and  me,  equally  merciful.  I  have  only  one  question 
to  ask  ;  are  you,  or  have  you  been,  wife  or  mother  ?' 

"  '  Neither;  but  I  should  have  been  the  one,  before  I  was 
the  other  ;  and  better  that  I  had  been  in  my  grave,  before  I 
saw  the  author  of  my  disgrace  and  ruin.  He  was  the  cause 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  339 

of  my  mother's  death,  the  cause  of  an  age  of  slavery  to 
my  youug  years,  and  of  worse  than  death  to  me.  Bat  I  was 
young,  foolish,  flattered,  and  deceived,  by  his  most  solemn 
promise  of  marriage,  and  I  fell  the  victim  of  a  wicked 
seducer.  But  that  is  no  sufficient  excuse  for  me  ;  and  though 
you  forgive,  I  never  can  get  my  own  forgiveness  ;  and  I 
know  the  world  ;  and  I  fear  heaven  has  closed  the  door  of 
mercy  upon  me,  a  podr,  unforgiven  wretch.' 

"  '  No,  no,  no.  Heaven  never  closes  the  door  of  mercy. 
It  is  always  open  to  those  who  truly  repent,  as  I  believe  you 
do.  It  is  only  those  who  need  Heaven's  forgiveness,  just 
as  much  as  you  do,  that  are  unforgiving.  Let  us  look  into 
our  own  hearts  and  see  if  we  too  are  not,  or  have  not  been, 
unforgiving  too.  Our  own  sex  is  generally  the  most  uncha 
ritable  toward  one  who  has  by  any  chance,  whether  misfor 
tune,  error,  sin  on  her  part,  or  actual  seduction  on  the  part 
of  another,  forfeited  her  claim  to  the  name  of  maiden.' 

"  '  Oh,  Celestine,  how  I  wish  I  could  speak  to  all  my  sex — 
to  every  young  girl — to  tell  her  to  keep  watch  and  ward 
for  ever  over  the  greatest  earthly  treasure  she  will  ever 
possess — her  virtue.  Once  soiled,  it  can  never  be  re-polished. 
But  believe  me,  my  sister,  I  will  not  condemn,  I  will  love, 
cherish,  and  comfort.  We  will  never  part.' 

"  '  Oh,  Luthella,  you  do  not  know  how  much  you  promise. 
You  have  seen  so  little  of  the  world,  that  you  do  not  know 
that  a  girl  who  has  met  with  the  misfortune  that  I  have — 
and  as  true  as  I  live,  it  is  nothing  more — I  am  the  victim 
of  man's  false  promises,  just  as  my  mother  was,  and  I  am 
not  the  guilty  wretch  that  many  would  believe  me  ;  but  still, 


340  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

contaminated  as  my  name  is,  I  am  liable  to  lend  a  dark 
shade  to  yours.  It  seems  to  me,  that  I  canuot  escape  any 
more  than  Cain  could  from  the  mark  fixed  upon  him,  to 
mark  his  crime.  Oh,  who  can  tell,  what  I  have  suffered  ? 
I  have  repented  my  folly,  and  prayed  God's  forgiveness,  and 
frequently  thiuk  I  have  that,  but  my  fellow  creatures  drive 
me  to  despair.' 

"  I  used  all  my  arts  to  soothe  her,  and  was  partially 
successful.  I  longed  to  ask  her  one  more  question,  but 
hesitated  long  ;  for  a  strange  suspicion  came  over  me,  that 
I  knew  her  seducer,  and  had  felt  his  power — his  winning 
arts — and  his  revenge.  She  told  me,  that  go  where  she 
would,  where  unknown  she  might  strive  to  hide  herself 
among  strangers,  till  by  repentance  and  good  conduct,  she 
could  win  a  good  name,  that  he  followed  her  with  a  demon 
iac  spirit  of  revenge,  telling  tales  of  her  own,  or  her  father's 
disgrace,  till  she  was  tired  of  life,  and  was  now  actually 
bent  on  destroying,  or  hiding  herself  in  the  oblivion,  and 
perhaps  poverty  and  disgrace,  of  some  great  city,  for  she 
was  in  utter  despair  of  finding  a  place  of  refuge  in  the 
country,  and  she  had  no  means  of  living,  110  friends,  and 
knew  not  a  single  relative  in  the  world." 

" '  Then  you  shall  come  with  me,  and  we  will  live  together  , 
and  young  as  I  am,  I  can  shield  you  from  the  shafts  of 
malice.  I  will  be  your  sister,  and  my  love  shall  be  your 
refuge.  Come,  you  are  my  sister  ;  lost,  but  found.' 

"'Then  I  never,  never  will  give  you  cause  to  disown  me, 
or  love  me  less.' 

"  Our  ride  to  0 was  one  that  can  only  be  appreciated 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  341 

by  two  loving  sisters,  under  just  such  remarkable  circum 
stances,  upon  just  such  a  beautiful  moonlight  evening  in 
autumn,  such  as  can  be  seen  in  all  its  loveliness,  only  iu 
New  England.  Nowhere  else  can  such  a  moon  light  up 
such  scenery.  Such  quiet  old  farm-houses,  with  their 
blazing  kitchen-fires.  In  one  of  these  we  saw  a  scene  worthy 
of  long  remembrance  ;  yet  it  is  one  so  common  in  the  farm 
houses  of  this  dear  land  of  the  Pilgrims'  homes  ;  where 
their  sons  still  live,  and  from  one  of  whom  I  am  proud  to 
think  that  I  am  descended  in  a  right  line. 

"  Our  driver  stopped  in  front  of  one  of  these  old  mansions, 
to  water  his  horses  at  the  well  by  the  road-side.  Through 
uncurtained  windows,  we  could  look  into  the  great  kitchen, 
and  see  the  original  of  the  term,  "  family  circle,"  as  it  was 
drawn  around  the  great  stone  fire-place,  where  a  pile  of 
wood  blazed  high  upon  the  hearth,  sending  its  bright  glow 
all  over  the  room  and  out  of  the  windows  across  the  door- 
yard,  till  it  lighted  up  the  road  where  we  sat  admiring  the 
scene  ;  a  scene  that  no  one  that  was  born  iu  a  New  England 
farm-house  can  think  of  without  emotion — without  an 
increase  of  happiness. 

"  Upon  one  side  of  the  fire-place  sat  an  old  couple,  appar 
ently  four-score  years  old.  The  old  man  is  dozing  in  his 
arm-chair,  and  his  old  partner  is  busy  with  her  knitting- 
needles  upon  a  pair  of  red-striped  woollen  mittens,  for  the 
ruddy  faced  boy  that  looks  inquiringly  in  her  face,  as  though 
he  were  saying,  '  Are  they  most  done,  granny  ?' 

"  In  the  opposite  corner  there  are  two  or  three  little  girls, 
•pictures  of  health,  dressed  in  home-made  linsey-woolsey 


342  GKEEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

frocks,  and  each  wearing  stockings  made  by  their  old  grand 
mother's  ever-busy  fingers. 

"  At  one  end  of  the  long  table  on  the  back  side  of  the 
room,  the  mother  of  those  children  is  making  bread,  while  her 
oldest  daughter  washes  the  supper  dishes  at  the  other  end. 

"In  front  of  the  fire  there  is  a  busy  group,  consisting  of 
the  father  and  half-a-dozen  boys  and  girls. 

"  It  is  a  family  apple-paring  ;  it  is  a  scene  so  common  that 
it  is  scarcely  noted  by  those  who  dwell  where  it  is  frequent. 

"  To  me  it  was  not  so  common  as  to  be  uninteresting.  I 
could  have  sat  there  until  that  fire  had  burnt  out,  and  then 
pictured  the  same  scene  in  the  glowing  embers.  It  was  the 
picture  of  a  happy  group  in  the  abode  of  industry  and 
contentment. 

"How  my  heart  did  yearn  for  such  a  home;  such  a 
peaceful  mode  of  spending  my  life.  But  we  had  to  turn 
away  and  leave  this  scene,  but  'only  to  look  upon  others 
equally  pleasing  at  almost  every  house  we  passed.  In  one 
there  was  a  quilting — an  old-fashioned  quilting,  where  a 
score  of  girls  were  in  the  full  tide  of  enjoyment  over  their 
labor,  which  will  soon  be  terminated,  and  then  the  boys  will 
come  in,  and  there  will  be  a  merry  time  at  old-time  plays, 
still  common  in  this  Yankee  land. 

"  A  mile  further  on  and  we  pass  one  of  those  great  barns, 
so  common  upon  every  farm  in  all  the  Eastern  States,  with 
the  smooth  sod  of  "  the  meadow  lot  "  coming  close  up  on  one 
side,  and  there  upon  the  grass  are  great  piles  of  Indian-corn, 
and  there  is  a  laughing  merry  group  of  boys  and  girls  upon 
one  side,  stripping  the  husks  and  tossing  the  ears  over  the 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  343 

heap,  where  they  glitter  in  the  moonbeams,  or  look  like 
gilded  arrows  as  they  sail  through  the  air.  By  and  by  the 
huskers  will  all  go  in  by  another  great  kitchen  fire  and  eat 
apples,  nuts,  and  pumpkin  pies.  By  ten  o'clock  they  will 
all  be  in  bed,  and  oh,  how  sweetly  they  will  sleep  after  such 
an  evening's  exercise  in  the  open  air,  and  how  ruddy  they 
will  look,  and  how  strong  they  will  feel  in  the  morning,  when 
they  get  up  at  daylight  to  resume  their  autumn  labor. 

"  But  we  drive  on,  and  leave  this  farm  scene,  and  now  we 
meet  another.  Here  comes  a  boy  from  the  mill,  mounted 
on  horseback,  with  two  or  three  great  sacks  of  meal  ;  and 
there  toils  a  yoke  of  tired  oxen,  with  a  load  of  cider  from 
yonder  press,  where  men  are  turning  down  the  screws  for 
the  last  squeeze  to-night.  There's  a  couple  of  boys  playing 
see-saw,  across  the  garden  fence,  and  here  race  a  brother 
and  sister  down  the  lane,  from  yonder  red  house,  to  see 
which  will  get  first  to  the  road,  and  carry  back  the  news 
paper  that  the  stage-driver  will  toss  them,  as  he  whirls  by. 

"  There  is  a  scene,  that  will  be  recognized  by  many  a  native 
of  this  soil.  It  is  one  I  doubt  not,  as  common  as  the  husk 
ing,  apple-paring,  or  quilting.  It  is  one,  that  sends  a  thrill 
of  pleasure  to  our  hearts,  as  we  only  catch  a  glance  as  we 
pass,  yet  that  glimpse  tells  the  whole  story. 

"  What  is  it  ? 

"  It  is  only  a  young  man,  stopped  as  he  passed  along  the 
road,  in  front  of  this  house  where  he  is  leaning  over  the 
gate,  talking  to  his  sweetheart,  who  ran  down  from  the  well, 
when  she  heard  him  whistle.  How  the  old  lady  will -scold 
because  she  is  gone  so  long  after  water.  She  forgets  that 


344  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

she  promised  this  girl's  father,  forty  years  ago,  over  that 
same  gate,  or  at  least  one  that  hung  between  those  same 
stone  posts  ;  for  they  have  stood  there  through  several  gen 
erations,  and  if  they  could  speak,  what  tales  these  stony 
hearts  could  tell,  of  the  hearts  that  have  pledged  their  love 
to  each  other,  just  as  those  two  hearts  are  now  pledging 
theirs,  leaning  upon  the  '  front  gate.'  Both  are  in  their 
every-day  working  garb,  and  both  form  a  picture  of  rude 
health,  and  a  pleasing  scene  in  rural  life. 

"  Ah  !  there,  I  thought  so — the  mother  is  getting  impatient 
at  the  long  delay — the  door  opens,  and  there  is  another 
pleasant  picture.  The  old  lady,  candle  in  hand,  stands  in 
the  door,  and  calls,  '  Lucy,  what  m  the  world  keeps  you  so 
long — have  you  tumbled  down  the  well  ?'  Lucy  answers  5 
'No,  ma'am  ;'  and  her  mother  replies,  'Then  do  come  in, 
I  am  waiting  for  the  water.  What  are  you  doing  down  to 
the  gate  ?  Reuben  is  there,  I'll  warrant.  I  never  saw  the 
like  on't,  of  the  girls  now-a-days  ;  it  didn't  use  to  be  so 
when  I  was  a  gal." 

"  The  candle  blinds  her  so,  that  she  cannot  see  beyond  its 
rays,  nothwithstanding  the  bright  moon,  or  she  would  know 
whether  Reuben  was  there  or  not.  We  can  see  her,  in  her 
neat  white  cap,  and  home-made  check  apron,  and  tidy  home 
spun  woollen  dress  ;  and  beyond  her  into  the  house,  where 
her  husband  sits  by  the  fire,  shelling  out  a  bushel  of  corn, 
that  somebody  else  that  rides  in  the  stage  to-morrow  night, 
may  meet  with  another  boy  coming  from  the  mill,  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  one  we  have  just  passed. 

"  Now  Lucy  says  '  I  must  go  ;  good-night,  Reuben — will 


GREEN-MO  U  XT  A  I  X      GIRLS.  345 

you  be  over,  Sunday  night  ?'  We  could  answer  that  in  the 
affirmative,  for  instead  of  saying  good-night,  he  says, 
'  Lucy,'  and  she  turns  back,  and  then  there  was  a  sound 
somewhat  like  the  snap  of  our  driver's  whip,  but  it  was  not 
that — the  sound  came  from  the  gate,  and  then  Reuben  said, 
'good-night,  Lucy.' 

"And  then  we  drove  away  from  this  pretty  moonlight 
scene  to  look  at  another,  and  another,  continually  changing, 
though  ever-like,  ever-pleasing,  fascinating,  absorbing,  so 
that  the  traveller  thus  interested  feels  no  fatigue. 

"  And  what  traveller  that  ever  thinks,  ever  travelled 
along  a  New  England  road,  past  farm-houses,  mills,  meeting 
houses,  school-houses,  villages,  or  amid  the  scenery  of  hills 
and  mountains,  such  as  loom  up  where  Mount  Tom  or 
Holyoke  point  their  heads  to  heaven,  or  where  the  Berk 
shire  hills  shelter  valleys  filled  with  as  excellent  a  population 
as  ever  dwelt  amid  just  such  scenery,  without  thinking  how 
pleasant  it  is  to  dwell  here  amid  such  hills  and  vales,  and 
among  such  industrious,  sober  intelligent  people,  who  have 
all  the  requisites  of  life  to  make  a  country  full  of  happy 
homes  ? 

"  No  doubt,  these  that  we  are  passing  are  so,  and  here  is 
one  of  the  requisites  to  make  such  a  population  happy, 
because  it  makes  them  intelligent.  An  exclamation  from 
Celestine  tells  what  it  is  ;  for  she  says, 

" '  Oh,  there  is  the  school-house  !'  Yes,  there  it  was,  at 
the  corner  of  the  road,  fenced  out  of  the  field  by  a  bend  in 
the  stone  wall.  It  was  painted  red  once,  but  that  was  a 
long  time  ago.  It  was  a  rough-looking  seminary  of  learn- 

15* 


346  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

ing,  but  it  was  one  that  many  a  man  in  far  off  lauds  can  look 
back  to  with  pride  as  he  contemplates  the  elevated  position 
he  may  be  called  to  fill  in  consequence  of  the  education 
obtained  in  just  such  a  rough-looking  old  school-house  by 
the  side  of  some  Connecticut  or  Massachusetts  country  road. 
Beyond  the  school-house  is  an  orchard,  and  there  is  another 
cider-mill,  and  there  goes  another  cart-load  of  cider  down  the 
lane  and  out  of  the  bars  between  the  old  grey  stone  walls. 

"  Now  we  come  to  a  little  village — a  real  New  England 
village — there  on  the  left  hand,  as  we  enter,  there  is  another 
school-house,  lately  painted  red,  all  but  one  end,  which  was 
left  till  the  painter  had  time  to  finish  the  job.  That  was  a 
year  ago  ;  it  may  be  another  before  he  finishes  it.  Beyond 
the  school-house  is  a  pond,  occupying  about  one-fourth  of 
the  public  square  ;  which  by  the  by  is  a  triangle  ;  and 
beyond  the  pond  stands  the  meeting-house  ;  a  plain,  square 
frame,  two  stories  high,  with  a  square  tower  projecting  out 
from  one  end,  supporting  a  bell,  over  which  is  a  cap  that 
looks  for  all  the  world  like  a  hay-cock  bottom  up.  Right 
in  front  of  the  meeting-house,  across  the  square,  lay  four  or 
five  generations,  sleeping  quietly  where  those  white  marble 
and  dark  slate-stone  slabs  glisten  in  the  moonbeams.  Just 
beyond  the  graveyard,  is  the  great  square,  one  story, 
gambrel-roofed  village  tavern,  and  beyond  that  the  store, 
post-office  and  blacksmith  shop. 

"What  a  strange  old  custom  it  was  that  located  these  last 
homes  of  the  dead,  amid  the  homes  of  the  living.  Here 
they  were,  generation  after  generation,  some  with  old  moss- 
grown  stones,  that  would  require  some  Old  Mortality  to 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  o47 

decipher  their  time-worn  inscriptions.  Some  with  new 
marble  that  had  not  yet  lost  the  polish  of  the  stone-cutter, 
and  now  shone  in  glistening  white  lustre  as  they  stood  like 
sentinels  amid  the  scarcely  discernible  stones  of  grey  slate, 
big  and  little,  black  and  white,  old  and  new,  all  intermixed 
and  spread  about  over  the  whole  acre  of  land  allotted  to  the 
village  burying-ground.  What  a  queer  taste,  or  rather 
want  of  taste,  in  the  manner  this  ground  is  fenced.  A  stone 
wall,  built  of  cobble-stones,  surmounted  by  posts  and  rails  ; 
and  the  entrance,  that  stands  right  in  front  of  the  church,  is 
closed  by  a  common  set  of  farm-yard  bars. 

"  Of  course  there  is  not  a  shrub,  or  tree,  within  the  enclo 
sure,  and  if  there  was,  the  sexton's  sheep,  and  old  grey 
horse,  would  break  them  down,  for  he  uses  the  grave-yard 
as  a  common  pasture. 

"  Thank  Heaven,  in  some  places,  this  old  style  has  given 
way  to  the  march  of  an  improving  race,  and  the  dead  are 
now  placed  at  rest  in  the  most  lovely  spot  in  the  whole 
town  ;  not  as  here,  in  the  very  middle  of  a  busy  village, 
surrounded  by  dwellings,  and  work-shops,  upon  every  side, 
but  away  in  some  shady  dell,  or  gently  sloping  hill,  amid  a 
world  of  trees,  and  shrubs,  and  water,  peaceful  to  the  dead, 
and  attractive  to  the  living. 

Now  we  increase  our  speed,  and  rattle  along  by  the 
silent  graves  with  noisy  wheels,  and  pull  up  at  the  village 
inn.  And  now,  as  though  on  a  race  for  life,  comes  all  the 
world — that  is,  the  world  of  that  village — running  to  the 
post-office,  for  they  have  heard  our  driver's  horn — the  same 
horn  that  blew  me  visions  of  Celestine's  image  over  the  hills, 


348  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

a  few  hours  before,  and  now  it  blew  to  them  visions  of  news 
from  absent  friends,  and  news  of  the  last  election  in  some 
distant  State,  vastly  important  to  village  politicians.  How 
the  old  Squire  is  beset  with  questions,  as  he  hauls  over  the 
papers  of  the  mail,  with  his  great  round  iron  rim  spectacles 
upon  his  nose,  to  know  whether  John  Smith  or  Amos 
Cook  is  elected  to  Congress,  from  some  far-off  region  at 
the  West.  No  wonder  at  the  anxiety,  now  that  we  catch  the 
words  of  gratulation  at  the  confirmation  of  the  rumor,  that 
the  latter  is  elected.  Amos  is  the  son  of  an  emigrant  from 
that  town,  and  his  election  reflects  honor  upon  one  who 
got  his  education  in  that  old  red  school-house. 

"We  sit,  Celestine  and  I,  the  while  in  the  'best  room' 
of  the  house,  upon  wooden  chairs  bottomed  with  flags,  by  a 
wood  fire,  in  an  open  fire-place,  on  a  sanded  floor.  That, 
instead  of  a  carpet.  Every  now  and  then,  some  village 
beau  comes  in,  looking  about  as  though  for  some  acquaint 
ance,  but  in  reality,  to  see  two  strange  faces,  that  somebody 
may  have  called  pretty.  Now  we  are  off  again,  and  as  we 
roll  along  the  bank  of  '  Mill  brook,'  with  here  and  there 
a  moonlight  glimpse  at  the  water,  between  the  apple-trees, 
the  tones  of  the  bell,  up  in  that  steeple,  ringing  as  it  has 
for  the  last  century  at  nine  o'clock,  come  along  down  that 
valley  over  our  heads,  in  such  sweet  music,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  the  sons  of  that  land,  however  distant  they  roam,  long 
to  come  back  again  once  more  to  hear  the  never-forgotten 
music  of  the  old  bell,  pealing  over  the  hills  and  vales  ; 
nestling  in  soft  echoes  down  among  the  rocks,  where  sleep 
their  sires  in  the  old  village  church-yard. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  349 

"  Scarcely  had  the  music  of  the  old  bell  died  away  on  the 
calm  night  that  followed  that  blustering  day,  when  the  stage 
horn  rang  out  upon  the  clear,  frosty  air,  and  we  rattled  into 
the  town  of  C ." 

Oh,  New  England  !  dear  land  of  happy  homes.  It  is  no 
wonder  that  thy  children  love  thee,  and  never  forget  such 
scenes  as  these  so  faintly  pictured  in  the  moonlight,  yet 
still  so  vivid,  that  many  a  voice  will  exclaim,  as  tearful  eyes 
scan  this  page,  '  I  know  that  spot.' 

How  many  will  start  at  the  tones  of  that  old  bell,  as  on 
some  spirit  wings  they  are  borne  to  them,  perhaps  across 
the  sea — perhaps  over  the  Alleghany,  or  Rocky  mountains, 
till  they  are  heard  again  upon  the  bank  of  some  new 
'  mill  brook,'  where  the  oak  fills  the  place  of  the  old  apple- 
tree,  and  where  the  school-house  is  built  of  logs,  and  the 
grave  stones  in  the  village  churchyard,  do  not  glitter  in 
the  moonbeams,  but  the  stumps  do. 

How  many  too  will  hear  again  the  peals  of  that  stage- 
horn,  and  think  back  to  the  village  tavern,  and  the  post- 
office,  and  the  old  postmaster,  and  the  anxiety  of  the  crowd 
for  '  news  by  the  mail.' 

How  many  will  remember  to  have  seen  just  such  a 
crowd  of  impertinent  loungers  as  Luthella  describes,  staring 
at  every  face  that  arrived  by  the  stage.  But  let  us  go  on. 

"  There  was  a  crowed  of  idlers  as  usual  upon  the  steps 
of  the  hotel,  watching  who  should  come  in  the  stage.  As  I 
was  getting  out,  I  heard  Celestine  say,  '  Oh  God  !  Lafale 
here.  I  did  not  then  know  what  it  meant,  and  as  she 
hurried  past  me  into  the  house,  I  had  no  time  to  ask  for 


350  GREEN-MOUNTTAIN      GIRLS. 

explanations,  but  hurried  after  her,  and  was  about  entering 
the  door  when  a  hand  was  laid  upon  my  arm,  and  a  voice 
said : 

"  '  Do  you  keep  company  with  such  girls  as  that  ?  Do 
you  know  what  she  is  ?' 

"  '  Yes,  I  do  :  she  is  the  victim  of  a  vile  seducer — a 
villain,  who,  notwithstanding  he  had  a  lovely  wife,  sought 
the  ruin  of  a  poor,  unprotected  orphan  ;  and  when  she  after 
wards  fled  from  him,  followed  her  with  the  malignancy  of  a 
fiend  to  blacken  her  character,  and  drive  her  to  despair  and 
death,  as  he  did  her  mother.  Not  content  with  one  victim, 
he  sought,  by  the  same  means,  to  accomplish  the  same  pur 
pose  with  her  unprotected  sister.  Do  I  know  what  she  is  ? 
Yes,  sir  !  And  who  she  is  ?  She  is  my  sister — long  lost, 
lately  found  sister.  And  you,  I  know  who  you  are — you  are 
George  Lafale,  that  very  villain.' 

"  '  I  spoke  this  with  a  clear,  full  intonation,  before  all  the 
crowd.  I  cannot  tell  how  I  had  strength  to  do  it,  but 
something  prompted  me  thus  to  denounce  and  expose  the 
guilty  wretch,  and  he  quailed  under  the  effects  of  such 
scorching  words  of  truth.' 

"  Celestine  stood  just  within  the  door  trembling,  and  said, 
as  I  entered,  '  Oh,  Luthella,  how  could  you  brave  that  man  ; 
he  is  so  vindictive,  he  will  ruin  us  both.  I  cannot  stop  here. 
His  presence  will  blast  me.  What  shall  we  do  ?' 

"  She  was  answered  by  a  lady, 

"  '  Don't  be  alarmed,  my  dear  ;  your  sister  has  served  him 
right  ;  she  is  a  noble,  good  girl,  thus  to  unmask  the  impos 
tor,  who  has  been  making  propositions  of  marriage  to  my 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  351 

niece.     He  shall  leave  the  town  this  night,  or  go  to  jail  in 
the  morning.     I  owe  you  a  thousand  thanks.' 

"  She  grasped  my  hand  and  pressed  it  warmly,  and  said, 
'  She  had  no  doubt  I  had  spoken  the  truth,  and  that  should 
not  injure  either  of  us  with  any  but  the  vicious.' 

"  I  had  given  my  letter  to  the  landlord  as  I  got  out  of 
the  stage,  and  he  came  in  now,  and  greeted  me,  and  shook 
my  hand  as  cordially  as  though  I  had  been  an  old  friend  ; 
and  as  he  did  so,  said  : 

"  'Mrs.  Smiley,  this  is  the  girl  that  Edwin  wrote  to  us 
yesterday  would  be  here  to-day.  If  she  can  work  as  well 
as  she  can  talk,  I  think  you  will  like  her.  I  wish  you  had 
heard  what  she  said  to  Lafale.' 

"  '  I  did,  every  word,  and  I  believe  it  is  all  true.' 

"  '  And  so  does  every  one,  and  I  have  no  doubt  it  will 
clear  him  out  of  the- place,  for  I  saw  him  talking  to  the 
stage-driver,  I  presume  to  get  him  to  call  for  him  at  ten 
o'clock,  when  he  goes  out.     And  so,  this  is  your  sister 
Does  she  want  a  place  ?' 

" '  Yes,  if  I  stay,  she  must.  I  have  not  seen  her  till 
to-day,  since  I  was  in  my  cradle,  and  do  not  intend  to  part 
with  her  until  one  of  us  may  be  cradled  in  the  grave.' 

"  '  Good  girl,'  said  Mrs.  Smiley,  '  you  shall  both  stay  as 
long  as  we  like  each  other,  and  I  hope  it  will  be  a  great 
many  years  before  you  are  parted  again.  Come  with  me, 
and  get  some  supper.  You  must  be  tired  and  hungry. 
Mr.  Smiley,  you  tell  John  to  take  the  girls'  things  up  to  the 
room  next  to  ours.' 

"  How  happily  our  first  day  terminated.     Here  we  lived 


352  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

two  years,  contented  and  almost  happy,  for  we  were  respect 
ed  by  all  who  knew  us,  except  those  who  were  vicious 
themselves.  Occasionally  our  feelings  were  lacerated  by 
some  insidious  remarks,  which  came  like  the  storm-fiend 
shrieking  upon  the  wind  to  our  ears,  to  make  Celestine's 
heart  bleed.  Lafale  took  care  to  keep  away,  but  he  wrote 
back  to  some  of  his  old  associates,  '  That  those  two  girls 
were  both  bad,  and  that  their  father  was  in  the  state-prison, 
or  else,  if  he  had  got  out,  he  was  a  poor,  miserable  vaga 
bond,  and  both  of  these  two  girls'  mothers  were  the  wives 
of  this  state-prison  convict  ;  and  an  abundance  of  such 
scandal,  which  although  not  exactly  a  lie,  was  equally  as 
slanderous,  for  it  was  told  to  injure  two  poor  helpless  girls.' 

"  Busybodies  often  came  to  Mrs.  Smiley  and  told  her  she 
ought  not  to  keep  such  characters  in  her  house.  At  any 
rate,  she  ought  to  turn  the  oldest  one  off,  for  they  did  not 
think  it  was  right  to  harbor  a  girl  that  had  done  as  she 
had. 

"  '  And  what  would  you  have  her  do  ?'  said  Mrs.  Smiley. 

"  '  Well,  I  don't  know,  that  is  her  business.  But  she 
must  be  a  low  creature,  any  way,  if  half  is  true  that  folks 
say  about  her.  But  what  can  you  expect  ?  for  they  say  her 
father  and  mother  were  both  dreadful  low  people.' 

"  These  things  affected  Celestiue  seriously.  She  often 
said,  that  it  did  seem  as  though  it  was  no  matter  how  much 
she  tried  to  be  good  now,  that  one  false  step  of  her  life 
dragged  her  down  and  made  life  burdensome  ;  and  I  could 
not  hide  the  truth  from  myself,  that  the  time  was  fast 
coming,  when  I  must  part  from  this  dear,  good  girl,  upon 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  353 

the  edge  of  the  grave.  I  had  often  urged  her  to  write,  or 
let  me  write  to  those  dear  old  friends  of  her  mother,  Dr. 
Field,  or  Mr.  Granly,  to  let  them  know  what  became  of 
her  ;  but  she  said  '  No  ;  it  is  better  that  my  name  be 
for  ever  unremembered,  than  be  heard  of  coupled  with 
disgrace.  If  I  had  never  met  with  misfortune,  there  is  no 
man  that  I  would  sooner  see  than  Dr.  Field,  for  I  remember 
the  time  when  I  used  to  climb  on  his  knee,  and  put  my  little 
arms  around  his  neck,  and  call  him  papa,  and  kiss  him,  as 
though  it  was  only  yesterday.' 

"  It  was  only  the  next  day  after  this,  that  she  went  in  the 
dining-room  to  wait  on  a  couple  of  travellers,  who  called  for 
dinner.  One  of  them  looked  as  though  he  might  be  the 
father  of  the  other  ;  he  was  a  noble-looking  grey-headed 
gentleman,  between  fifty  and  sixty  years  old,  and  the  other 
not  over  half  that  age.  From  the  manner  of  the  younger, 
and  the  conversation  of  both,  it  was  evident  that  one  was  a 
physician  and  the  other  a  minister. 

"  Celestine  came  out  directly  and  said  to  me,  '  Sister,  I 
wish  you  would  go  and  wait  upon  those  gentlemen,  I  cannot 
stay  there  ;  it  seems  as  though  that  old  gentleman,  that  the 
other  calls  doctor,  would  look  me  through  and  through.  I 
never  saw  such  eyes  before  ;  they  fairly  magnetize  me  ;  it 
has  made  me  faint.  What  can  he  mean  ?  Oh  dear !  Is 
my  shame  written  in  my  face  ?' 

"  I  went  readily  to  take  her  place,  and  woman-like  she 
stood  at  the  door,  I  suppose,  to  hear  what  might  be  said. 
As  soon  as  the  doctor  saw  it  was  not  the  same  girl,  he  called 
me  up  to  him,  and  said  in  one  of  those  mild  sweet  voices,  that 


354  GBEEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

always  charm  ;  '  My  dear,  who  is  that  girl  that  just  went 
out  ?     Will  you  tell  me  her  name  ?' 

"I  thought  I  would  evade  giving  her  name,  and  so  I 
answered  : 

"  '  She  is  my  sister  sir.' 
•  "  '  Your  own  sister  ?; 

"  '  Yes  sir  ;  though  only  what  is  usually  called,  half  sister. 
'  He  laid  down  his  knife  and  fork  and  looked  at  me  so  ear 
nestly,  as  he  said  : 

"  '  And  her  name is ' 

"  His  eyes  seemed  fairly  starting  out  from  their  sockets, 
so  intent  was  he  upon  the  answer.  I  heard  the  door  move 
behind  me  ;  I  knew  who  was  there,  and  I  knew  that  the 
questioner  was  not  one  who  inquired  from  mere  idle  curiosity  ; 
and  besides,  I  had  a  sort  of  prescience  of  who  it  was  that 
addressed  me,  and  I  answered  ; 

"  '  Celestine ' 

" '  Brandon/  added  he,  springing  to  his  feet.  There 
was  a  scream  at  the  door,  and  Celestine  sprang  forward, 
saying,  '  DOCTOR  FIELD,  Oh  !  save  me — I  am  dying — "  as 
she  fell  in  his  arms — as  I  thought  fainting. 

"  The  name,  the  singular  and  unexpected  meeting,  the  start, 
the  scream,  the  recognition,  all  came  so  suddenly  upon  me, 
that  I  was  for  a  moment  stupefied  with  amazement.  I  could 
not  move.  The  young  man  was  almost  equally  excited,  but 
he  ran  to  her,  seized  her  hand,  and  said  ;  '  Celestine,  my  dear 
cousin,  speak  to  me.  Have  you  forgotten  your  little  play 
fellow,  Blythe  White  ?  Look  up.  Oh  !  doctor  ;  she  has 
fainted  1 ' 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  355 

"  I  ran  to  her  with  a  glass  of  water,  but  the  doctor 
motioned  me  back,  as  he  spoke  :  '  It  is  too  late  ;  kind  words 
or  deeds  are  of  no  avail  ;  Celestine  Brandon  is  in  heaven  ! ' 
and  he  raised  her  head  to  show  us  that  his  bosom  was 
drenched  in  the  warm  current  of  her  life,  that  had  gushed 
from  a  broken  blood-vessel,  and  killed  her  as  instantly  as 
though  her  heart  had  been  penetrated  by  a  musket  ball." 


356  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


me  text — An  impressive  lesson — riooas  01  tears — LiUtnelia  meets  a  toe — rnreata 
of  revenge — Luthella's  path  beset— Return  to  her  native  place— Slander  and 
suspicion — Sickness — Want  and  suffering  in  a  garret. 

THERE  is  a  terror  in  death,  to  all  civilized  beings,  unless 
their  sensibilities  have  been  blunted,  and  de-humanized, 
however  mild  the  form  in  which  it  approaches  us,  that  we 
cannot  shake  off — cannot  conquer,  however  brave  we  are. 
It  is  no  mark  of  manhood,  courage,  or  high  moral  feeling, 
to  pretend  that  death  has  no  terrors — that  we  can  witness 
it  in  others,  or  expect  it  ourselves,  without  fear — without 
trembling — and,  when  it  comes  in  blood,  without  horror. 
Blood  too,  flowing  from  the  heart  through  the  lips  of  a 
young  girl,  of  perfect  form,  and  lovely  face  ;  Ob,  how 
terrible  !  How  the  heart  sickens,  and  the  mind  revolts,  and 
eye  turns  away  from  the  crimson  flood  that  saturates  the 
white  linen,  and  runs  down  in  a  pool  at  her  feet. 

Can  the  mind  imagine  a  more  sickening,  soul-sickening 
sight,  than  such  a  girl,  with  her  white  garments  drenched 
in  blood,  resting  in  the  arms  of  a  stout  man,  himself  all 
gory,  as  though  he  might  have  been  her  murderer — as 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  357 

though  he  might  have  just  plunged  the  dagger  to  her  heart, 
and  while  he  withdrew  it,  held  his  victim  in  his  arms,  with 
her  soft  blue  eyes  upturned  appealingly  to  him,  as  when  her 
lips  uttered  the  words,  '  Oh  save — save  me — I  am  dying  1' 

It  was  too  late  ! 

Celestine  Brandon,  whatever  her  faults  had  been,  was 
in  heaven,  for  she  had  lived  and  died  a  humble  penitent, 
trusting  in.  a  merciful  God. 

To  save,  or  call  her  back,  was  indeed  too  late. 

No  skill  of  her  skillful  friend,  although  he  would  have 
given  his  right  hand  to  save  her,  could  make  her  pulse 
throb  again. 

No  earnest  appeal  from  her  childhood's  playmate,  and 
relative,  to  speak  one  word  of  recognition,  can  encourage 
that  stiffening  tongue  to  move.  True,  her  eyes  seemed 
fixed  on  each,  and  all,  but  'tis  death's  vacant  stare,  and 
it  lights  not  the  soul. 

The  piercing  screams  of  her  loved  sister — Oh,  how 
loved  !  cannot  pierce  her  dull  ear. 

It  is  closed  to  all  earthly  sounds,  but  may  we  not  hope 
it  hears  the  voice,  and  music  of  angels.  Yes,  we  may  hope 
that  Celestine  Brandon  is  in  heaven. 

SHE   DIED  YOUNG  ; 

SHE    DIED    FORGIVING; 

She  died  hoping  to  be  forgiven. 

Let  that  be  her  epitaph.  And  in  the  grave  let  her 
find  a  peaceful  rest. 


358  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

Oh  what  a  scene  was  her  death.  Luthella's  screams 
aroused  the  house  and  neighborhood,  as  though  the  air  had 
been  electric  wires,  that  telegraphed  the  news  abroad. 

With  what  hot  haste  men  came,  prepared  to  meet  a 
mortal  foe. 

They  came  not  prepared  to  meet  the  one  they  saw — the 
foe  that  wields  the  scythe  of  Fate. 

How  the  women  came  running,  just  as  they  left  their 
occupations,  some  with  the  marks  of  labor — one  fresh  from 
the  kneadiug-trough,  where  she  made  her  bread — some 
from  the  toilet,  half-dressed,  stopping  not  to  consider,  and  take 
one  more  look  in  the  glass,  to  see  that  each  hair  was  smooth, 
and  cap  aright. 

"  Some  came  with  a  babe  drawing  its  life  from  the 
maternal  breast,  while  the  mother  looked  at  death — terrible, 
blood-stained  death. 

Some  were  wild  with  alarm  ;  some  were  faint  at  heart ; 
some  were  calm,  and  courageous  ;  all,  full  of  eager  curiosity. 

Mrs.  Smiley  was  like  a  summer  morning — :calm — cool — 
and  prepared  to  do  a  woman's  duty  to  a  woman's  corpse 

She  only  stopped  to  inquire  : 

"  Is  there  no  hope  ?" 

"  None." 

"  Poor  Celestine — thus  to  die.  She  was  a  gentle,  good 
girl  ;  let  us  bear  her  gently  to  her  room.  Stand  back  ?' 

This  was  said  to  the  crowd,  now  filling  up  all  the 
room. 

"  My  daughter,  take  Luthella  to  your  room.  Doctor, 
you  assist  me.  Let  us  carry  the  body  up-stairs.  Mrs. 


GREEN-MOUXTAIX      GIRLS.  359 

Johnson,  get  one  more,  and  follow — no  one  else.  Mr. 
Smiley  will  attend  to  all  that  is  requisite.  Sarah,  have 
this  blood  removed  immediately.  Come  ?" 

And  she  led  the  way,  to  make  preparations  for  the  last 
act  of  respect  that  we  can  pay  the  dead,  or  honor  the 
living. 

Perhaps  no  "  servant  girl,"  ever  had  such  a  funeral  as 
poor  Celestine.  The  manner  of  her  death,  of  course,  had 
something  to  do  with  it ;  but  there  was  a  more  powerful 
motive  than  that,  she  was  no  longer  a  poor,  despised 
drunkard's  daughter,  full  of  faults  of  her  own  ;  "  No  better 
than  she  should  be,"  but  the  great-niece  of  old  Parson 
White,  who  was  born  in  that  town,  and  the  cousin — the 
acknowledged,  much-loved  cousin  of  the  "Reverend  Ely  the 
White,  jr."  grandson  of  that  good  old  parson,  of  whom,  and 
his  powerful  efforts  in  the  cause  of  religion  and  temperance, 
everybody  had  heard.  And  then  she  died  upon  the  bosom  of 
the  great,  the  rich,  Dr.  Field,  who  wept  over  her  as  though 
she  had  been  his  own  child.  Things  certainly  wore  a  different 
aspect,  and  yet  the  poor  girl  was  no  more  worthy  of  being 
followed  to  the  tomb  by  a  great  concourse  of  people,  than 
she  would  have  been  three  days  before,  when  she  might  have 
gone  the  same  road  without  disturbing  the  current  of  industry 
by  the  poor  hearse  and  single  mourner.  The  one  carriage 
from  the  hotel  would  probably  have  followed  the  hearse  that 
carried,  as  would  have  been  said,  "  Nobody  but  one  of  the 
hotel  girls."  Now,  every  vehicle  from  far  and  near,  seemed  to 
have  come  to  fill  up  the  line  that  stretched  a  mile  in  length 
along  the  road. 


360  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

It  is  not  worth  while  to  stop  the  mourning  train  to 
inquire  of  one  and  all,  what  motives  brought  them  from 
their  town  or  country-houses  ;  whether  it  was  to  pay 
respect  to  the  dead,  or  to  do  homage  to  the  powerful  and 
rich,  who  unexpectedly  came  to  follow  their  poor  friend  and 
relative  to  her  lonely  grave. 

We  need  not  inquire  into  the  secret  motives  that 
animate  human  nature  ;  they  are  much  alike  in  all  ages  of 
the  world. 

Perhaps  there  is  no  part  of  the  world  where  so  many  of 
the  resting-places  of  the  dead  are  located  in  really  lovely 
spots,  as  in  New  England  ;  and  in  one  of  the  most  lovely  of 
these  rests  Celestine  Brandon. 

What  a  contrast,  between  this,  and  the  one  described  a 
few  pages  back.  That,  in  the  heart  and  bustle  of  a  noisy 
village  ;  this,  a  mile  away  from  the  outskirts  of  the  town. 
That,  a  bare  knoll  of  gravel,  too  poor  to  bear  grass,  except 
as  it  is  fertilized  by  bodies  made  of  dust,  resolving  back  to 
native  elements  ;  this,  a  hill,  a  glen,  a  stream,  a  plain  a 
wood-land,  sandy  knolls,  and  rugged  rocks  ;  a  barren  and  a 
fertile  slope  ;  a  shady  nook  and  sunny  glen  ;  all  in  one 
combined. 

No  Mount  Auburn,  Greenwood,  or  Laurel  Hill,  affords 
more  romantic  places  ;  more  fascinating,  more  charming 

spots  for  graves,  than  the  cemetery  of  the  town  of  C . 

Or  if  the  reader  choose,  the  town  of  S ,  for  I  shall  not 

give  the  precise  locality,  so  as  to  enable  any  idle  inquirer 
to  pry  out  some  of  my  living  characters,  or  find  the  tomb  of 
the  one  that  is  dead. 


GREEK -MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  361 

I  can  only  say  it  is  a  charming  spot,  and  I  wish  the 
country  had  many  more  like  this,  and  many  less  like  that 
seen  by  moonlight  in  the  last  chapter. 

"  It  was  a  delicacy  worthy  of  the  man,"  said  Luthella, 
"that  prompted  Dr.  Field  to  select  a  spot  for  the  grave, 
under  just  such  a  row  of  maples,  as  the  one  I  described  to 
him,  where  I  had  that  heavenly  vision  of  my  sister.  A  few 
steps  from  these,  lay,  in  its  beautiful  stillness,  a  deep  pond, 
and  beyond,  high,  rugged  rocks,  covered  with  dark  ever 
greens.  It  was  a  place  for  meditation  for  the  living,  as  well 
as  quiet  repose  for  the  dead."  Her  pastor  had  preached 
such  a  sermon  as  seldom  falls  to  our  lot  to  hear  but  once  in 
a  lifetime.  His  text  was,  "As  ye  would  that  others  should 
do  unto  you,  so  do  ye  unto  them."  He  acknowledged  her 
errings  of  life,  but  dwelt  upon  the  fact  of  her  deep  repent 
ance,  and,  as  he  trusted,  forgiveness  of  God,  and  he  hoped, 
also,  by  all  who  felt  the  force  of  his  text.  But  as  if  to  make 
it  still  more  impressive,  when  all  were  gathered  about  and 
ready  to  fill  up  the  grave,  he  took  a  spade  in  his  hand  and 
said  : 

"Let  him  that  is  guiltless,  cast  the  first  stone." 

He  then  offered  the  spade  to  one  and  another,  and 
said  : 

"  Will  you  ?  or  you  ?  or  you  ?" 

It  was  a  strange  sight,  and  deeply  impressive.  It  was 
a  mild,  mute  way  of  teaching  a  great  Wesson. 

It  had  a  great  effect. 

There  were  few  dry  eyes,  but  there  were  many  sobbing 
women,  and  strong  men,  as  well  as  children,  wept. 

16 


362  GREEN- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

You  might  have  supposed  that  the  aching  hearts  of  a 
multitude,  with  grief  oppressed,  were  breaking.  I  have  never 
seen  a  more  solemn  funeral  service,  or  one  more  or  better 
calculated  to  do  good. 

It  made  us  all  thoughtful — all  convinced  that  we  were 
not  guiltless — not  prepared  to  cast  the  first  stone. 

No  one  seemed  willing  to  receive  the  spade  from  his 
hands,  and  he  threw  it  upon  the  ground,  saying  : 

"  I  cannot  assume  the  responsibility  of  doing  what  I  have 
proposed  to  you,  for  I  am  not  free  from  sin.  I  need  God's 
forgiveness  and  mercy,  as  much  as  this  poor  sister  we  have 
just  consigned  to  the  grave.  I  cannot  say, '  I  am  better  than 
thou  art,'  and,  therefore,  worthy  to  cast  this  earth  upon  all 
that  remains  of  earth,  of  one  so  late  a  living  being  like  one 
of  us." 

There  was  a  little  pause,  and  a  stillness  so  solemn  that 
I  am  sure  it  must  have  touched  the  heart  of  every  one  that 
wept  as  a  mourner  about  that  open  grave.  At  length  Dr. 
Field  stepped  forward  and  took  up  the  spade,  and  as  he 
did  so,  said  : 

"  Neither  can  I,  nor  any  one  here,  for  no  one  is  guiltless 
in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  ;  but  we  must  do  our  duty  to  the 
dead,  asking  his  forgiveness  for  our  sins  of  thought,  word,  or 
deed,  and  that,  in  all  things,  we  may  hereafter  be  better  able 
to  do  unto  others  as  we  would  that  they  should  do  unto  us. 
As  none  of  us  can,  upon  these  terms,  cast  the  first  mite  upon 
the  breast  of  our  dear  sister  in  the  grave,  let  us  all  unite  in 
doing  a  part  of  this  last  duty,  and  sad  token  of  respect,  for 
a  departed  friend."  He  then  cast  in  a  spadeful,  and  gave  the 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  363 

spade  to  the  next,  and  then  all  pressed  foward  to  share  in  the 
work,  and,  by  that  little  token,  acknowledge  that  they  had 
not  always  done  unto  others  just  as  they  would  that  others 
should  do  to  them.  Perhaps  no  grave,  was  ever  filled  by  so 
many  hands — perhaps  no  tenant  of  the  tomb  ever  had  more 
tears  shed  around  her  by  strangers,  than  were  shed  at  the 
grave  of  Celestine  Brandon. 

It  was  a  singular  coincidence,  that  this  was  the  anniver 
sary  of  their  meeting,  and  that  the  day  was  just  such  a  one  as 
that  when  the  maple  leaves  came  down  and  the  sisters  met 
two  years  before ;  and  that  the  leaves  danced  in  the  road, 
and  whirled  all  round  the  grave,  just  as  they  did  before 
Luthella,  upon  that  day  ;  and  if  she  could  have  dried  her 
eyes  so  as  to  look  up,  she  would  undoubtedly  have  seen  the 
same  angel  face  in  the  clouds,  for  it  was  there,  full  of  smiles, 
as  hers  was  full  of  tears. 

When  Luthella  turned  to  leave  the  grave  she  encountered 
one  face  that  bore  no  marks  of  grief ;  it  was  probably  the 
only  one  present.  He  had  felt  the  words  of  the  text  most 
forcibly,  but  they  had  turned  to  gall  in  his  heart — the  heart 
that  throbbed  in  the  miserable  body  of  George  Lafale. 

Every  other  soul  had  profited  by  this  solemn  scene,  per 
haps,  but  this  one.  His  was  the  soul  of  a  heartless  seducer, 
hardened  by  his  long  years  of  crime,  till  his  conscience  was 
seared  as  with  a  hot  iron. 

He  had  not  come  to  repent  and  mourn — he  had  come  to 
sin. 

He  had  never  been  content,  while  he  thought  that  Luthella 
had  escaped  his  toils,  and,  in  spite  of  her  denunciations, 


364  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

would  at  any  time  have  crept  fawning  at  her  feet,  so  that  he 
could  have  won  from  her  a  single  smile.  He  had  made 
repeated  efforts  to  see  her,  or  get  a  chance  to  speak  with 
her,  but  never  before  had  so  boldly  thrust  himself  into  her 
presence.  He  probably  thought  that  she  would  not  dare  to 
spurn  him  before  so  many,  and  at  such  a  time,  upon  such  a 
spot,  and  if  she  did,  he  swore  in  his  heart  that  he  would 
have  revenge. 

He  had  often  threatened  it  before,  and  at  one  time,  had 
laid  a  deep  plot  to  get  Luthella  out  into  the  country,  to  visit  a 
sick  friend,  where  he  intended  to  call  for  her,  with  a  tale  that 
Celestine  was  dying,  and  had  sent  for  her,  and,  once  in  his 
wagon  he  would  have  her  in  his  power,  and  had  determined 
to  upset  her  and  take  her  life,  as  by  accident. 

How  often  Providence  watches  over  and  guards  us. 

On  his  way  to  the  place,  he  upset  himself,  and  thus 
frustrated  his  wicked  scheme. 

Then  he  disappeared,  for  a  long  time,  from  that  part  of 
the  country.  Now  here  he  was  again,  with  his  snake-like 
eye  bent  upon  her. 

As  she  walked  away  from  the  grave,  leaning  upon  Dr. 
Field's  arm,  Lafale  pulled  her  sleeve  and  said  : 

"  Luthella,  will  you  speak  to  me  ?" 

"  Never — villain." 

She  only  heard  the  smothered  word,  "  revenge,"  as  she 
hurried  away  from  his  hateful  presence. 

The  fact  that  he  had  returned  to  C filled  her  with 

apprehension  ;  and  she  felt  that  now  her  guardian  angel 
was  gone,  and  that  the  destroying  angel  was  besetting  her 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  365 

with  his  toils  and  his  malice.  She  kuew  that  it  was  no 
longer  safe  for  her  to  remain,  and  she  determined  at  once  to 
take  a  course  that  she  had  been  thinking  of  since  Celestine's 
death.  The  sight  of  Lafale  determined  her.  She  knew  his 
threats,  and  she  dreaded  him  as  she  would  a  basilisk  in  her 
path.  Dr.  Field  and  young  Blythe  urged  her  to  go  with 
them  to  Yermont,  but  the  desire  to  return  to  her  native 
place  over-ruled  all  other  considerations  ;  and  thither  she 
went  immediately.  She  was  received  there  with  all  the 
respect  that  she  could  claim,  for  all  were  strangers  to  her. 
At  her  mother's  house  it  was  not  home,  and  she  sought 
work  in  the  hotel  at  the  village — now  grown  to  be  a  place 
of  some  importance  ;  and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  the  people 
thought  it  about  the  most  respectable  in  the  world,  and 
very  jealous  of  any  taint  upon  their  escutcheon. 

At  first  Luthella  was  received  into  "  the  first  circle," 
and  she  was  treated  as  a  pious,  virtuous  girl,  however  poor, 
should  always  be  treated,  with  respect  due  to  character  not 
to  wealth. 

In  her  intercourse  with  others,  she  was  extremely  re 
served,  because  she  did  not  wish  to  tell  the  story  of  Celes 
tine's  life  and  sad  death. 

Her  reserve  was  called  pride,  and  then  scandal-mongers 
began  to  pull  her  down  to  their  own  level.  They  called  her 
haughty,  and  soon  began  to  whisper  among  themselves,  but 
loud  enough  for  the  gossip  to  hear,  who  would  carry  the 
news  to  her,  that  "her  father  was  a  felon,  and  her  mother 
the  woman  that  Jim  Risley  took  out  of  the  poor-house." 

"  And  what  has  she  to  be  so  proud  of  ?" 


366  GREEN- MOUNTAIN      GIKL3. 

"  Nothing  but  her  fine  clothes." 

"  Yes,  fine  clothes,  indeed  ;  and  how  did  she,  a  factory 
girl,  get  so  many  fine  clothes  ?" 

By-and-by  they  found  out — or  thought  they  did.  The 
evidence  was  good  enough  for  those  who  breakfast,  dine,  and 
sup  upon  scandal,  and  make  their  bed  upon  ruined  reputations. 

A  letter  from  an  anonymous  assassin,  post-marked  C , 

Massachusetts,  came  addressed  to  the  postmaster,  which 
stated  that  the  writer  felt  it  to  be  a  duty  to  inform  the 

people  of  M "  that  a  girl  of  very  bad  reputation,  who 

had  been  stopping  at  a  hotel  in  that  town,  had  left  very 
suddenly,  without  paying  her  board,  and  had  taken  with  her 
two  trunks  of  valuable  clothing,  one  of  which,  certainly,  was 
not  her  own  ;  and  that  the  writer  had  lately  heard  that  she 

had  been  seen  at  a  hotel  in  M ,  and  if  the  people  of  that 

town  did  not  wish  to  have  society  contaminated,  the  sooner 
they  got  rid  of  such  characters  the  better." 

Was  ever  a  bigger  lie  told  in  words  of  truth  ?  She  had 
stopped  at  a  hotel,  had  left  suddenly  without  paying  any 
bill,  for  she  had  none  to  pay.  All  the  funeral  expenses  that 
were  not  given  by  the  landlord  were  paid  by  Dr.  Field. 
The  trunk  not  her  own,  was  her  sister's.  No  one  else  had 
any  claim  to  it.  But  upon  this  ex  parte  evidence  of  the 
perjured  villain,  Lafale,  she  was  condemned  at  the  bar  of 
public  opinion.  It  was  too  much  for  her  constitution,  and 
she  sank  under  it.  Even  her  own  mother  floated  away 
on  the  current  of  popular  prejudice,  and  left  Luthella 
to  linger  for  months  upon  a  sick  bed,  alone  among 
strangers. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  361 

While  her  money  lasted,  she  was  treated  as  sick  guests 
of  a  hotel  generally  are — with  cool  neglect  and  large  bills. 
When  nearly  out  of  funds,  she  had  to  give  up  her  com 
fortable  room,  and  was  carried  to  a  garret  that  strongly 
reminded  her  of  the  one  in  which  she  spent  her  childhood. 
Here  she  sold  off  article  after  article  of  her  wardrobe,  until, 
if  she  had  strength  enough  to  walk,  she  could  easily  start 
on  a  journey  without  any  encumbrance  of  baggage.  Her 
great  anxiety  was,  not  to  get  well,  but  to  go  back  and  sleep 
by  the  side  of  Celestine.  Her  physician,  who  had  stood  by 
her  like  a  true  friend,  administering  to  her  wants  with  his 

own  hands,  at  her  solicitation,  wrote  to  C ,  and  got 

such  testimony  of  her  character  as  should  have  overwhelmed 
her  calumniators  with  shame.  Some  of  them  did  relent, 
and  offered  her  assistance  to  go  back  ;  and  this  revived  her 
more  than  all  the  doctor's  medicine.  She  said  to  her  native 
town,  "  You  have  wronged  me,  but  I  forgive,  while  I  shake 
off  the  dust  of  my  feet,  as  I  leave  you  for  ever." 

How  much  she  suffered,  during  almost  a  year  that  she 
remained  there,  no  one  can  tell.  Suffered,  too,  as  the  vic 
tim  of  .a  vile,  unprincipled  slanderer,  who  had  sworn  to  ruin 
her  character,  because  he  could  not  conquer  her  virtue.  It 
is  a  sad  contemplation  to  think  that  the  world  holds  such 
black-hearted  villains.  But  Heaven  appears  often  to  per 
mit  them  to  flourish  for  a  time,  and  then  cuts  them  off,  in  a 
manner  that  proves  the  truth  of  the  text,  <%  Vengeance  is 
mine,  saith  the  Lord,  and  t  will  have  vengeance." 

We  shall  see,  in  the  next  chapter,  that  He  had  not  for 
gotten  His  declaration,  and  that,  although  Luthella  had 


368  GREEN -MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

suffered  for  a  season,  it  was  only  to  make  her  the  more  like 
gold  purified  in  the  fire.  She  is  now  upon  her  pilgrimage 
to  her  sister's  grave,  and  while  she  journeys  the  weary  road, 
let  us  stop  by  one  of  our  wayside  inns,  for  a  night's  rest  and 
meditation  upon  the  probable  finale  of  our  long  story. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  369 


CHAPTER    XX. 

Arrival  at  N The  scene  of  the  flight  of  leaves  from  the  old  maple  trees,  and 

vision  of  Celestine  in  the  clouds — Another  vision — Brandon  Valley  seen  in  a 
dream— Echo,  and  a  warning  voice— Offer  of  a  ride— The  mountain  road  and 
precipice— A  terrible  death,  and  mangled  corse — The  end  of  George  Lafale. 

IT  was  the  anniversary  of  the  dancing  leaves  and  flying 

clouds,  when  Luthella  entered  the  town  of  N ,  where 

she  met  Celestine,  three  years  before  ;  but,  unlike  that  day, 
this  was  as  calm  as  the  blythest  morning  of  May. 

How  the  same  stage-horn  rang  out  among  the  rocks,  as 
she  was  whirled  rapidly  down  the  same  mountain-side  that 
Celestine  was  traversing,  when  her  image  was  painted  in 
the  clouds,  or  in  the  mind  of  Luthella.  But  there  were  no 
clouds  to-day,  and  no  pictures  but  those  of  sober  reality 
were  anticipated.  In  fact,  they  were  not  anticipated  before 
— neither  are  dreams  ;  yet,  like  dreams,  unexpectedly  came 
these  day-visions.  Not  only  unexpected,  but  unaccountable. 

The  old  maple  trees  stood  as  green  as  summer.  They 
had  not  donned  their  gorgeous  autumn  livery,  and  not  a 
leaf  came  down  to  dance  in  the  road.  Inanimate  Nature 
was  still  dressed  in  the  livery  of  summer — warm,  calm, 
lovely  summer.  Oh,  that  I  could  still  the  perturbations,  she 
thought,  of  my  beating  heart,  till  it  was  as  quiet  as  the 

16* 


370  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

leaves  upon  these  trees,  that  were  dancing  their  wild  gyra 
tions  when  I  was  here  before.  How  vivid  that  scene  was 
now  brought  to  my  mind.  It  was  almost  a  state  of  hal 
lucination  that  carried  me  back  to  the  time  when  Celes- 
tine  came,  not  only  in  the  clouds,  but  personally,  in  such  a 
singularly  mysterious  manner. 

"  Personally,  she  can  never  come  again  ;  and  I  have  no 
satisfactory  evidence  of  communication  between  living  and 
departed  friends. 

"  I  entered  the  house  with  these  thoughts  upon  my  mind, 
and  took  a  seat  in  the  same  room,  by  the  same  window, 
looking  out  upon  the  same  scene,  where  I  had  before 
encountered  things  that  belong  more  to  dream-laud  than 
earth.  I  certainly  did  not  sleep  then  nor  now  ;  yet,  you 
will  say,  as  you  read,  that  I  was  dreaming.  There  was  a 
wonderful  calm  stillness,  so  in  contrast  with  my  former  view 
from  this  same  spot.  Not  a  breath  stirred  the  leaved. 
Presently,  the  old  sow  and  pigs,  the  very  counterparts  of 
those  I  saw  three  years  before,  making  a  bed  of  the  dancing 
leaves,  came  tearing  along  the  road,  each  with  a  bunch  of 
straw  in  its  mouth,  telling,  as  plain  as  words  can  tell,  that 
a  storm  was  approaching.  Then,  the  leaves  at  the  further 
end  of;  the  row  of  trees,  began  to  move,  and  a  whirlwind 
came  roaring  along  the  road,  gathering  up  the  dust,  and 
spreading  it  upon  the  green  leaves,  and  all  along  the  grassy 
bank.  Ah,  well,  but  it  will  soon  be  washed  off ;  and  then 
will  come  the  frost,  with  its  pallette  of  colors,  and  then 
there  will  be  another  leaf-dance  ;  but  I  shall  not  be  here  to 
see  it.  Where  shall  I  be  ?  Was  it  echo  that  answered, 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  371 

'  Where  shall  I  be  ?'  How  conld  it  be  echo  ?  I  had 
spoken  no  word — there  was  no  hill,  or  rock,  or  thing  that 
could  have  sent  back  the  word,  if  I  had  spoken  it.  Yet  it 
came,  distinct  as  ever  came  a  warning  voice  from  the  spirit- 
land  to  human  ear.  I  thought  of  Celestine,  and  of  the 
strange  things  that  I  had  witnessed  once  before  on  that 
spot.  I  thought  then  that  I  had  a  warning  voice  from  the 
spirit-lan4  ;  but  I  had  not,  for  my  sister  then  was  a  thing 
of  earth — of  flesh,  and  blood,  and  human  heart,  like  myself. 
Yet  there  was  between  her  and  me  some  strange  serial  com 
munication,  or  some  magnetic  influence,  by  that  subtle  fluid 
of  which  we  know  so  little,  and  which,  because  we  are 
ignorant,  we  call  mysterious.  Then,  as  now,  I  could  not 
understand  my  feelings — could  not  tell  what  I  felt,  or  why  I 
was  so  singularly  affected.  I  thought,  more  and  more, 
where  shall  I  be,  when  the  green  leaves  turn  red,  and  pur 
ple,  and  brown,  and  come  flying  from  their  lofty  boughs  to 
earth.  Perhaps  not  another  day  will  pass  till  that  time 
comes.  Perhaps  this  very  night,  the  north  wind  will  sweep 
down  from  the  bleak  mountain-tops  of  the  coldest  region  of 
snows,  and  to-morrow  morning  the  frost  diamonds  will  spar 
kle  in  the  rising  sunbeams.  Then  the  leaves  will  die. 
And  then,  in  a  few  days  or  weeks  more,  the  trees  will 
be  bare  ;  and  then,  when  they  are  in  their  leafy  graves, 
shall  I  be  here — or  there  ? 

"  '  Xot  there  ?' 

"  That  voice  again.     Not  there — not  in  the  grave  ? 

"  '  Not  in  the  grave  !' 

"  '  Mercy  on  me,  mercy  !'  I  exclaimed  ;    no,  thought — 


372  GREEN-MOCNTAIN     GIRLS. 

for  as  yet  I  had  spoken  no  word,  and  echo  answered, 
'  Mercy.' 

"Am  I  losing  my  senses — am  I  dreaming,  or  am  I  in 
some  enchanted  chamber,  where  spirits  mock  me,  and  make 
me  tremble  in  their  presence,  when  most  I  need  to  be 
calm  ! 

"'Becalm.' 

"  '  Yes,  yes,'  I  spoke  aloud,  '  I  will  be  calm  ;  for  now  I 
feel  I  can — I  must.  It  must  be  that  I  am  in  presence  of  a 
spirit,  but  it  is  a  good  one — the  spirit  of  my  sister,  Celes- 
tine.' 

"  '  Celestine.' 

"  Echo  answered  again. 

"  It  was  not  a  loud  echo  ;  it  was  one  of  those  soft,  breath 
ing  sounds  that  come  to  the  ear  in  our  sleep,  but  it  made  me 
calm  and  happy.  I  even  felt  more  cheerful  than  I  had  be 
fore  for  many  months  ;  but  I  felt  that  I  should  soon  be  with 
my  sister  in  the  spirit-laud.  I  cannot  tell  why,  except  that 
I  did  not  wish  to  live,  because  I  was  alone  in  the  world  and 
so  friendless.  My  health  had  been  so  long  affected,  that  it 
had  diseased  my  mind.  I  was  not  exactly  gloomy  and  despond 
ing,  but  I  said  so  often,  '  I  do  not  care  to  live,'  that  I  had 
come  to  think  that  I  should  not ;  and  now,  the  apparent 
presence  of  my  sister,  convinced  me  that  I  should  soon  be 
with  her.  I  thought,  she  has  come  to  accompany  me  on  my 
journey  to  that  unknown  land.  Again  I  went  over  and 
stood  by  the  same  window  ;  where  all  was  sunshine  a  few 
minutes  before,  now  all  was  gloom.  Black  clouds  portended 
the  storm  that  I  bad  thought  would  bring  the  frost  artist  to 


ORE  E^N -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  373 

paint  the  leaves  in  their  gorgeous  autumn  colors.  I  thought 
it  portended  the  close  of  my  summer  of  life. 

"  While  I  stood  in  a  reverie  of  thought,  gazing  at  the  fly 
ing  army  of  clouds,  that  swept  down  through  the  firmament 
from  the  Green  Mountains  at  the  north,  my  mind  ran  back 
over  all  the  scenes  of  which  I  had  been  told  so  much,  till  I 
had  a  whole  panorama  before  me  of  places  and  faces  of  those 
I  had  heard  of,  and,  somehow,  felt  that  I  was  connected  with 
through  Celestine. 

"There  was  Brandon  Valley,  just  as  it  had  been  described 
by  Blythe  White,  who  was  a  great  story  artist  ;  but  the 
frost  there,  earlier  than  here,  had  put  the  autumn  livery 
upon  the  trees.  There  was  the  great  rock,  and  vine-clad 
tree,  where  Alida  gave  lessons  that  made  a  poor  boy  a  great, 
good,  and  rich  man.  There  was  the  old  hemlock  by  the 
school-house,  but  the  old  log-building  was  not  there — it  had 
gone  the  way  of  all  decaying  things,  and  in  its  place  was 
a  neat,  light,  pleasant  white  frame  building,  a  fitting  one  for 
a  country  school. 

"  Even  the  little  church  had  grown  into  a  stately  edifice, 
with  a  spire  and  bell,  of  louder  tone  than  that  which  told  of 
fire  when  lightning  struck  the  old  distillery. 

"  The  little  nook  in  the  corner  of  Deacon  Brandon's  field, 
where  Alida's  mother  sleeps,  had  changed  from  a  field"  cor 
ner,  to  a  neatly-fenced,  tree-planted,  shady  lot  of  grassy 
graves. 

"  And  there  was  the  old  parsonage.  What  magnetic  influ 
ence  drew  my  mind  to  that  ?  Drew  it  so  strongly,  too,  that 
I  could  not  draw  it  away.  It  centered  there.  Why  ? 


374  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

Was  it  because  I  was  indebted  to  one  born  beneath  its  old 
gray,  mossy  roof,  for  this  enchanting  picture  ?  Yes,  it 
must  be  so,  for  this  vision  was  only  the  reflection  of  what 
that  one  had  told  me  a  year  before,  aided  by  a  few  outlines 
from  the  reminiscences  of  Celestine's  young  mind,  with  per 
haps  a  slight  touch  here  and  there  from  hearsay  talk  of  my 
mother. 

"  But  I  knew  not  what  interest  I  had  in  the  home  of  old 
Parson  White,  since  I  had  no  expectation  of  ever  seeing 
one  of  its  inmates  again.  Yet,  turn  whichever  way  I  would, 
back  came  the  unsatisfied  eye  to  that  house. 

"  In  my  dream — for  so  I  called  it — though  fully  awake.  I 
opened  the  door  and  went  in. 

"  In  the  great  arm-chair,  sat  the  patriarch  of  the  flock  ; 
his  locks  as  white  as  snow,  and  around  him  were  two  or 
three  mountain  snow-drops — things  of  beauty — things  to 
love — beings  that  blessed  the  old  man's  life,  and  gave  that 
heavenly  smile  to  his  benevolent  face.  These  were  Blythe's 
sisters — pure  specimens  of  Gree,n  Mountain  Girls.  Their 
father,  too,  was  there,  in  his  garb  of  honest,  productive, 
healthy  industry.  He  was  a  Vermont  farmer.  And  there 
was  their  mother.  A  real  mother,  such  as  criildren  love. 

"She  was  the  Elithura  of  one  of  Michael  Granly's  let 
ters  ;  and  one  of  the  fruits  of  the  good  seed  planted  in  his 
heart  by  the  angelic  Alida,  was  the  transplanting  of  this 
fruitful  tree,  from  her  home  beyond  the  lake,  to  this  home 
here  in  this  pleasant  valley,  where  she  had  become  the 
mother  of  three  girls  and  a  noble,  pious  son.  But  where  is 
he?  Not  here.  I  strove  hard,  but  I  could  not  catch  a 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  3T5 

glimpse  of  his  face,  in  any  one  of  those  pictures.  Why  was 
I  so  anxious  ?  I  cannot  tell.  I  never  had  felt  so  before. 

"  Yet  now  I  would  hare  given  mines  of  gold  if  they  were 
mine,  for  one  sight  of  his  face.  It  would  not  appear.  I 
was  almost  in  despair,  and  then  I  had  a  gleam  of  hope. 
The  door  was  opening,  and  I  hoped  that  it  might  be  him. 
No.  But  it  was  another  dear,  good  friend — it  was  Dr. 
Field,  his  face  glowing  in  health,  and  from  his  equipage,  I 
could  see  that  he  was  just  from  a  journey.  1  tried  to  hear 
his  words  as  he  shook  each  one  by  the  hand,  and  answered 
their  eager  questions.  I  could  not  catch  a  sound,  but  I 
knew  he  spoke  of  Ely  the,  and  that  he  was  away,  and  well 
and  happy,  for  every  time  his  lips  moved,  his  words  lighted 
up  smiles  of  peaceful  joy  in  those  that  heard,  and  so  I  felt 
content. 

"  How  long  I  had  been  in  this  curious  state,  or  how  long  I 
might  have  remained,  I  cannot  tell,  if  some  other  influence 
had  not  come  over  me  and  roused  me  to  life. 

"  I  felt  a  painful  sensation  ;  just  such  an  one  as  we  may 
suppose  is  felt  by  the  bird  as  he  is  drawn  into  the  charmed 
circle  of  the  serpent's  fascination.  I  did  not  see,  but  I  felt 
that  I  was  gazed  at  by  an  evil  eye,  and  like  some  similar 
affection  when  we  are  asleep,  it  awaked  me,  and  as  I  started, 
I  saw  the  form  of  a  man  walking  away  from  before  the  win 
dow  where  I  stood.  I  did  not  see  his  face,  or  hear  him 
speak,  but  I  heard  a  voice  ;  the  same  one  that  I  had  heard 
before,  and  the  words  came  distinct  to  my  ear  : 

"  '  Don't  go  with  him.' 

"  What  could  it  mean  ?     I  had  certainly  not  thought  of 


376  GREEN- MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

going  with  him,  unless  it  was  the  stage-driver,  and,  if  so, 
why  not  go  with  him  ? 

"  '  Not  go  with  him  ?' 

"  Echo  was  at  work  in  my  brain.  I  thought  that  my 
reason  was  failing. 

"I  sat  down  upon  the  sofa,  to  collect  my  wandering 
thoughts,  and  bring  them  back  within  my  own  control. 

"  I  bent  my  head  in  my  hand,  and  a  voice  said,  as  plain  as 
ever  voice  spoke  in  my  ear,  '  Don't  go  with  him  1' 

" '  Don't  go  with  him  !'  I  repeated,  starting  up  ;  '  Who 
spoke  ?' 

"  There  was  no  one  in  the  room — no  one  in  sight.  I  stood 
with  my  back  to  the  window,  and  the  words  came  again,  as 
though  the  glass  had  a  voice,  clear  and  distinct  :  '  Don't 
go  with  him.' 

"  '  Celestine,'  I  cried,  '  are  you  here  ?' 

"  The  window  trembled  as  though  some  one  was  shaking 
the  sash,  and  then  all  was  still  ;  but  the  words  kept  ringing 
in  my  ears,  '  Don't  go  with  him.' 

"  Who  could  it  be,  or  what  did  it  mean  ? 

11 1  knew  nothing  then — in  fact,  know  nothing  now,  of  what 
the  world  has  lately  heard  so  much — of  spirit  influence.  I 
certainly  had  not  then — for  they  were  unheard  of — ever 
heard  of  a  '  medium,'  or  table-moving,  or  raps,  tips,  knocks, 
or  writing  that  conveyed  the  idea  that  a  communication  was 
made,  or  desired,  between  the  things  of  air  and  earth.  And 
what  is  perhaps  remarkable,  I  have  never  to  this  day  seen  a 
single  demonstration  of  the  kind. 

"  In  the  visits  of  spirits  to  earth,  I  am  no  believer.   There- 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  377 

fore,  this  relation  is  not  given  to  propagate  a  doctrine,  but 
to  relate  a  fact.  I  do  believe  that  some  minds,  under  pecu 
liar  states  of  the  body,  are  susceptible  of  dream  influences, 
without  closing  their  eyes  in  sleep;  and  that  warning  voices 
do  appear  to  strike  the  ear,  while  the  mind  and  body  are  in 
such  condition,  just  as  they  do  in  dreams  ;  and  faces  and 
scenes  are  mysteriously  exhibited  to  the  vision,  just  as  they 
are  during  the  dreams  of  sleep. 

"  These  words  that  I  had  heard,  '  Don't  go  with  him,' 
kept  ringing  in  my  ears,  and  I  wondered  what  could  be  their 
meaning,  or  why  I  had  heard  them,  or  who  was  the  person 
I  was  warned  not  to  go  with. 

"  I  was  not  long  in  doubt.  The  landlord  came  in,  and  said 

a  gentleman  from  C ,  with  a  splendid  buggy  and  fine 

horse,  was  going  right  over  to  C ,  by  the  short  road,  and 

was  very  anxious  to  give  me  a  seat,  as  he  thought  it  would 
be  much  more  pleasant  than  the  stage,  and  he  would  get 
there  some  hours  sooner.  It  was  a  tempting  offer,  but '  don't 
go  with  him,'  was  still  in  my  ears,  and  I  positively  declined. 

"  '  It  was  very  singular,'  said  the  landlord,  afterwards, 
'  but  he  seemed  determined  that  you  should  go  with  him. 
I  do  not  understand  it.  I  had  to  prevent  him  from  coming 
in  here,  as  he  said  you  dare  not  refuse  to  ride  with  him  ; 
and  he  went  off  swearing  that  he  would  have  satisfaction  for 
the  insult  of  your  refusal.  But  the  threat,  perhaps,  amounts 
to  nothing,  for  he  had  been  drinking.  However,  if  it  is 
anybody  that  you  know,  you  may  as  well  look  out  for,  arid 
avoid  any  insult,  if  you  ever  meet  him  again.  Perhaps  you 
never  will.' 


378  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

"  He  started,  as  he  uttered  the  last  words,  and  so  did  I ; 
for  there  was  as  clear  an  echo  as  ever  rung  along  the  moun 
tain-side — '  You  never  will !' 

"  '  It  is  very  strange,'  said  he,  '  I  never  heard  an  echo  in 
this  room  before.' 

"  He  spoke  the  last  word  full,  but  echo  had  gone — flown 
out  of  the  window,  probably,  and  gone  back  to  the  moun 
tains — 'to  his  own  native  home,'  where  echo  lives  to  mock 
the  voice  of  man,  as  he  sends  it  abroad  upon  the  clear 
mountain  air,  among  the  rocks  and  hills. 

"  The  man  had  been  drinking — that  easily  accounted,  to 
my  mind,  for  his  singular  perseverance  in  his  request  that  I 
should  ride  with  him  ;  particularly  as  he  was  probably  the 
same  man  that  I  saw  before  the  window,  where  he  had  seen 
my  face  ;  and  thus,  without  any  object  on  my  part,  I  had 
attracted  his  attention  and  curiosity  to  become  acquainted. 
But  now  he  was  gone,  and  I  thought  no  more  about  the 
matter,  except  that  '  Don't  go  with  him,'  was  given  to  me 
as  a  warning,  because  he  had  been  drinking,  and,  therefore, 
for  me,  was  not  a  fit  companion. 

"  I  liked  the  company  of  the  stage-driver  much  better,  . 
for  he  was  like  an  old  acquaintance.     It  was  the  same  one 
that  drove  us  past  all  those  old  farm-houses,  when  I  first 
went  over  this  road,  and  whom  I  had  seen,  almost  daily,  at 

C ,  for  two  years.     He  was  glad  to  see  me  again,  and 

was  glad  that  I  was  going  back  to  C once  more. 

"  'Do  you  intend  to  remain  there  ?' 

"  '  Yes,  for  ever.' 

"  About  a  mile  after  we  leave  N ,  the  road  winds 


GREEN- MO  UN  TAIN     GIRLS.  379 

along  down  a  steep  hill,  with  a  high,  rocky  precipice  on  the 
right,  near  the  bottom,  directly  in  front  of  an  abrupt  turn, 
with  nothing  but  a  single  pole  to  prevent  any  one  from 
going  headlong  over  among  the  jagged  rocks  below. 

"  Our  horses  were  restive,  as  they  approached  the  spot — 
they  saw  something  alarming. 

"  '  Some  accident  has  happened,'  said  the  driver,  looking 
back,  as  we  were  going  rapidly  down  the  steep  road  ;  '  but 
don't  be  alarmed,  I  shall  go  safe.' 

"He  reined  up  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill,  and  we  all  got 
out,  and  went  a  little  way  back  ;  and  there  hung  a  part  of 
a  buggy,  by  the  pole,  on  the  edge  of  the  precipice. 

"  '  The  horse,  and  the  gentleman  that  was  so  anxious  for 
you  to  ride  with  him,'  said  the  driver,  looking  over,  '  are 
both  dead,  at  the  bottom.' 

"  '  Don't  go  with  him,'  rang  in  my  ears.  I  trembled  to 
think  of  my  narrow  escape,  and  of  the  strange  warning  that 
I  had  received,  which  had,  perhaps,  saved  me  from  being 
at  that  moment  a  mangled  corpse,  with  the  horse  and 
his  driver,  mixed  up  with  the  wreck  of  the  carriage,  and 
covered  with  dirt  and  stones,  that  had  gone  down  from  the 
falling  wall,  in  a  mass  together. 

"  'It  is  a  horrid  sight — terrible,  sickening,'  said  the 
gentlemen  passengers,  as  they  looked  over  the  parapet. 
'  Pray,  do  not  look  at  it/  they  said,  as  I  came  forward,  with 
that  object.  But  I  felt  an  irresistible  desire  to  get  one 
glimpse,  if  possible,  of  the  face  of  the  unknown  man,  of 
whom  I  had  been  so  strangely  warned. 

"  As  I  was  feeble,  and  probably  looked  pale,  as  though  I 


380  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

might  faint  and  fall,  at  such  a  sight,  one  of  the  gentlemen 
took  my  arm,  and  supported  me,  as  I  looked  down  upon  the 
wreck. 

"The  man  lay  upon  his  back,  with  face  upturned  and 
uninjured.  My  brain  reeled  at  what  I  saw.  It  was  not  the 
sight  of  blood — I  had  had  a  sight  of  blood  before,  and  did 
not  faint.  It  was  at  the  sight  of  that  well-known  face. 
Heaven  had,  at  last,  brought  me  to  witness  how  my  own 
and  Celestine's  wrongs  were  avenged. 

"  That  mangled  corpse  was  all  that  I  should  ever  see  of 
George  Lafale." 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  381 


•       CHAPTER    XXIII. 

i 

THE    FINALE. 

Arrival  at  C Signs  of  a  storm— Mistaken  in  who   had   enquired   for  her — 

Luthella  goes  at  night  to  visit  Celestine's  grave — The  Storm  Fiend's  serenade 
while  she  kneels  there — Her  heart  yearns  for  something  to  love — Another  vision 
or  dream — Determines  to  go  and  meet  her  sister — The  plunge — Drowning — Rescue 
— A  declaration — A  wedding  and  the  end  almost. 

How  we  disregard  all  through  life  the  sure  prognostica 
tions  of  storms,  and  other  hindrances  of  life's  journey. 
Homely  as  that  "  sign  of  ram"  is,  which  is  indicated  by  the 
swine  gathering  straws  for  a  bed,  it  is  considered  by  many 
observing  old  farmers  as  one  worthy  of  consideration. 

Then  all  along  the  road,  as  the  stage  went  on  its  way 
that  afternoon,  it  was  every  now  and  then  enveloped  in  little 
whirlwinds  that  gathered  up  the  dust  and  leaves,  and  whirled 
them  round  and  round,  and  up,  up,  and  away  down  the 
mountain  side,  where  the  wind  moaned  out  such  hollow,  yet 
human  sounds,  that  an  imaginative  mind  could  easily  fancy 
that  the  moans  came  from  some  dying  genii  of  the  mountain 
caves. 

Then  again,  the  wind  soughed  through  the  hemlock 
boughs,  as  it  came  over  the  ridge,  and  went  on  down  into 


382  GREEN-MOUNTAIN    GIRLS. 

the  deep,  dark  ravines,  furrowed  out,  by  Time's  plow,  into 
awful  chasms  along  the  hill-sides. 

There  was  another  "sign  of  rain."  The  sky,  that  had 
been  all  day  without  a  cloud,  now  grew  overcast,  and  as 
sumed  that  peculiar  appearance  that  is  indicated  by  the  old 
proverb,  which  says  : 

"  A  curdly  sky  never  leaves  the  ground  dry." 

Then  the  leaves  upon  the  trees,  without  any  wind  to  move 
them,  or  any  visible  cause,  began  to  turn  their  white  sides 
upward,  which,  in  all  rural  districts,  is  one  of  the  "  sure  signs'' 
that  a  storm  is  near. 

Again,  as  daylight  faded,  the  moon  showed  herself  as 
though  struggling  to  push  through  a  dense  fog  or  haze. 

"  It  will  rain  to-morrow." 

"  It  will  be  a  terrific  storm." 

• 

"  There  will  be  no  going  out  for  a  week." 

These  were  the  expressions  that  fell  heavy  as  lead  upon 
Luthella's  ear.  She  was  on  a  pilgrimage  to  her  sister's 
grave  and  something  impelled  her  forward  beyond  her  con 
trol.  To  wait  a  week  or  day  would  be  to  her  an  almost 
unendurable  punishment. 

This  day  had  been  a  lovely  one,  but  such  days  are  often 
followed  by  one  of  beating  rain  and  howling  wind,  or  drift 
ing  snow,  or  the  damp  chills  of  our  early  winter,  or  fog  or 
mist  ;  or  such  uncomfortable  days,  perhaps  weeks,  that  the 
invalid  is  shut  up  within  doors  till  nature  smiles  again. 

Our  variable  climate  is  one  of  the  greatest  faults  that 
Europeans  find  with  our  country  as  compared  with  theirs. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  383 

Even  the  Esquimaux  can  stand  his  frozen  region,  because  it 
is  one  regular  freezing  temperature. 

These  sure  indications  of  a  storm  had  made  the  time  drag 
wearily  to  Luthella  during  the  last  few  miles  of  her  jour 
ney.  She  began  to  feel  the  effect  of  the  exciting  scenes  of 
the  day  upon  her  feeble  strength.  She  was  excited,  too, 
with  such  a  strong  desire  to  visit  Celestine's  grave,  and  un 
less  she  did  it  that  night  she  might  not  be  able  to  do  it  for 
some  days.  The  more  she  thought  of  it,  the  stronger  was 
the  impression  upon  her  mind,  that  her  future  destiny  de 
pended  upon  her  going  there  without  a  moment's  delay.  They 
had  been  detained  by  that  sad  catastrophe  that  had  sent  a 
wicked  man  into  eternity,  almost  as  suddenly  as  though 
hurled  by  a  thunderbolt,  down  that  terrific  precipice.  He 
had  died,  too,  with  a  bitter  oath  on  his  lips,  and  revenge  in 
his  heart. 

He  had  died  as  the  fool  dies  ;  at  enmity  with  God  aud 
man.  ,  . 

The  fearful  plunge  down  that  mountain  side  was  not  the 
most  fearful  ;  it  was  the  sudden  plunge  into  eternity.  It  is 
a  scene,  either  peaceful  or  4errible,  that  we  must  all  meet. 
Let  us  all  have  a  care  that  we  do  not  plunge  down  a  more 
fearful  height,  into  a  deeper  abyss. 

Although  it  was  a  relief  to  Lulhella  to  be  freed  from 
such  a  bitter  enemy,  she  could  not  think  of  his  death  with 
out  a  shudder,  and  she  could  not  shake  off  the  sad  thought, 
or  arouse  herself  to  think  or  speak  of  any  other  subject. 
It  was  not  his  death,  but  the  manner  of  it,  and  that  he 
should  have  died  without  repentance,  that  made  her  sick  at 


384  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

heart.  She  grew  more  and  more  anxious  to  reach  her 
journey's  end,  where  she  was  sure  to  meet  friends.  She 
tried  often  to  arouse  herself,  but  found  it  a  vain  effort. 

How  she  comforted  herself  with  the  thought  of  the 
pleasant  meeting  she  would  have  with  Mrs.  Smiley,  and  how 
ardently  she  longed  for  the  kind  sympathy  which  she  would 
have  met  with  from  her,  as  well  as  from  all  who  knew  her, 
but  unfortunately,  when  the  stage  arrived,  both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Smiley,  and  the  girls,  were  away  from  home,  and  there 
was  not  a  soul  except  John,  the  hostler,  who  knew  her.  He 
expressed  his  pleasure,  in  a  rude  way,  at  her  return,  but  it 
was  sincere  and  honest,  and  such  greeting  goes  home  to  the 
heart,  when  that  which  comes  only  from  the  lips,  goes  not 
beyond  the  ear. 

John  was  really  glad  to  see  her,  and  hastened  to  tell  her, 
though  not  in  a  very  lucid  manner,  that : 

"  A  gentleman  came  here  to-day  inquiring  for  you.  He 
said  he  expected  to  find  you  here,  and  he  was  dreadful  sorry 
you  hadn't  come  ;  and  when  I  told  him  I  didn't  know  as 
you  were  going  to  come,  he  went  away  in  a  heap  of  trouble." 

Lafale  was  the  only  gentlemali  in  Luthella's  mind,  who 
she  thought  could  have  inquired  for  her,  and  she  replied  : 

"  Well,  John,  he  never  will  be  in  any  more  trouble  in  this 
world." 

"  Won't  he,  though  ?    Then  you  have  seen  him  ?" 

"  Yes,  for  the  last  time." 

"  Have  you  though,  for  the  last  time  ?  That  must  have 
been  a  sad  parting  ;  worse  than  the  other  last  time.  What 
did  he  say  ?" 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  385 

'Not  a  word — it  was  very  sudden." 

"  Why,  it  must  have  been.  I  thought  he  liked  you 
mighty  well.  But  you  didn't  like  him — was  that  it  ?" 

"  Yes,  that  was  it,  John." 

"  And  so,  you  never  expect  to  see  him  again  ?" 

"  Never." 

"  Well,  that  is  a  long  time.     Where  did  you  meet  him  ?" 

"  On  the  mountain  road,  by  the  steep  hill." 

"  Impossible,  unless  he  has  a  horse  that  goes  like  one  of 
them — what-d'ye-call-it — on  the  rail-road.  He  said  he  was 
only  going  to  ride  out  a  little  ways,  and  should  be  back  to 
night." 

"  He  never  will  come  back." 

"  Won't  he,  though  ?  Well,  I  declare,  he  must  have 
been  terribly  cut  up,  wa'n't  he,  when  you  left  him  ?" 

"  Yes,  terribly — and  his  horse  too." 

"  His  horse  too  -why,  goodness  gracious,  what  did  you 
say  ?" 

"  Indeed,  I  don't  know  ;  but  don't  let  us  talk  about  it 
any  more." 

"  Oh,  very  well — just  as  you  like  ;  but  I  don't  under 
stand  it,  particularly  about  the  horse." 

No  wonder  ;  John  was  talking  about  one  party,  and 
Luthella  another.  She  only  thought  of  Lafale  and  his  ter 
rible  death  ;  and  with  that  upon  her  mind,  and  not  finding 
the  sympathizing  friends  that  she  expected,  she  felt  mel 
ancholy  indeed.  As  soon  as  John  told  her  that  all  the 
family  were  away,  her  spirits  Kunk  down  to  gloom.  Not  one 
of  her  female  friends  were  there  to  welcome  her,  and  although 

17 


386  GRE E N - MOU NT AI N      GIRLS. 

she  sat  down  to  supper  and  tried  to  eat,  the  food  stuck  in 
her  throat.  She  had  hoped  to  get  Lenfolia,  Mrs.  Smiley's 
niece,  to  go  with  her  that  night  to  the  grave-yard  ;  but 
when  she  inquired  after  her,  she  found  that  it  was  upon  her 
wedding  party  that  all  were  absent.  The  wind  whistled 
louder  and  louder  ;  the  window-shutters  banged  ;  the  sash 
rattled  ;  the  limbs  of  the  old  buttonwood  thrashed  the  roof  ; 
and  all  the  signs  of  the  weather  portended  that  the  storm 
was  rapidly  coming  to  a  head. 

"  I  must  go  to-night,"  said  she,  putting  on  her  bonnet. 

"  Go,  miss  !  why,  you  ain't  going  away,  are  you  ?"  said 
the  girl. 

"  Only  out  a  little  way,  to  meet  a  friend.  I  shall  be  back 
soon.  Don't  tell  Mrs.  Smiley  that  I  have  been  here,  if  she 
comes  back  before  I  do." 

"  I  wonder,"  said  the  girl,  after  she  had  gone,  (i  how  I 
should  t  11  her  that  you  had  been  here,  since  you  had  not 
manners  enough  to  tell  me  your  name.  Why,  as  I  live,  if 
she  isn't  going  right  down  towards  the  grave-yard.  I  do 
believe  she  is  crazy.  I  guess  she  would  be  frightened,  if 
she  should  meet  that  young  minister  ;  and  I  shouldn't  won 
der  if  she  did,  for  he  went  off  that  way,  after  tea,  and  I 
haven't  seen  him  since." 

Luthella  had  been  gone  nearly  an  hour,  when  the  wed 
ding  party  returned — so  full  of  glee,  one  would  have  thought 
they  could  think  of  nothing  else  ;  but  as  soon  as  Mrs. 
Smiley  caught  sight  of  the  trunks  standing  in  the  hall,  she 
cried  out  : 

"Luthella  Brandon,  as  I  live.     Where  is  she?     Sally, 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     G^RLS.  387 

where  is  she  ?  Has  she  gone  to  bed  ?  If  she  has,  I  must 
see  her  before  I  sleep." 

"And  I."  "And  I."  "And  I,"  cried  each,  in  turn,  as 
earnestly  as  though  she  had  been  a  dear-loved  sister,  just 
returned  to  her  own  home. 

"  Where  is  she  ?  Where  is  she  ?"  was  upon  every  tongue, 
as  the  girls  ran  about  the  house,  to  hunt  her. 

If  any  of  the  scandal-lovers  of  M had  been  there, 

they  would  have  had  better  evidence  than  anonymous  let 
ters,  of  the  estimation  in  which  she  was  held  in  "  the  hotel 
she  left  without  paying  her  board." 

Sally,  in  answer  to  the  inquiry,  Where  is  she  ?  said  :  "  If 
they  meant  that  gal  that  come  in  the  stage — the  one  that 
owned  that  trunk,  and  looked  so  pale  and  sickly,  and  could 
not  eat  her  supper — 1  do  believe  she  must  be  crazy ;  at 
least,  I  thought  she  must  be  crazy,  to  go  off  to  the  burying- 
grouud,  alone,  at  this  time  of  night." 

"  You  would  not  think  so,  if  you  knew  her,"  said  Mrs. 
Smiley  ;  "or  wonder  at  her  anxiety  to  visit  her  sister's 
grave  ;  especially,  if  you  knew  what  an  angel  of  a  sister 
she  was,  when  living  ;  and  that  she  is  now  among  the 
throng  of  good  spirits  that  watch  over  the  good  of  earth, 
and  make  heaven  more  full  of  happiness  ;  and  then  to  think 
of  her  wrongs  and  sufferings  here — deserted  by  her  father, 
mourned  as  dead,  for  years,  by  her  relatives,  deceived  and 
ruined  by  a  villain.  Well,  well — I  believe  in  the  justice  as 
well  as  mercy  of  heaven,  and  that  George  Lafale  will  meet 
with  his  deserts  yet,  some  day.  Well,  Fred,  what  is  it, 
with  your  '  Mother,  mother  1' " 


388  GRESN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

"  Oh,  mother,  mother,  do  listen — George  Lafale  !" 

"  I  won't  listen.  I  won't  hear  a  word  of  the  scamp.  If 
he  is  here,  I  will  turn  him  out  of  the  house.  He  is  not 
going  to  dog  that  poor  girl  to  death,  while  she  is  under  my 
roof,  I  can  tell  him  that." 

"  Why,  mother,  you  won't  let  me  tell  you." 

"  Yes  I  will,  my  son — what  is  it  ?" 

"  Why,  mother,  he  is  killed — drove  off  of  Crooked  Creek 
Hill  ledge,  and  all  smashed  to  jelly  ;  and  he  has  killed  that 
pretty  horse,  too,  don't  you  think,  mother." 

"  Has  he  ?     Well,  I  am  sorry: — for  the  horse." 

She  was  not  for  its  owner,  and  would  not  say  so. 

She  did  not  rejoice  in  the  death  of  a  fellow-creature,  but 
still  she  could  not  mourn,  because  she  looked  upon  his  death 
as  a  retribution  of  heaven,  and  as  a  warning  to  others  to 
pursue  a  different  course  of  life.  His  acts  of  wickedness 
had  hastened  the  death  of  Celestine,  and  he  was  almost  the 
direct  cause  of  the  death  of  her  mother,  and  if  he  could 
have  persuaded  Luthella  to  accompany  him,  perhaps  she, 
too,  would  have  been  with  Celestine.  And  if  not  dashed 
upon  the  rocks,  who  can  tell  that  her  fate  would  not  have 
been  more  terrible,  once  in  the  power  of  such  an  unprinci 
pled  villain  ? 

How  could  Mrs.  Smiley  mourn  the  death  of  such  a  man  ? 
She  even  felt  an  anxiety  to  convey  the  intelligence  to  Ln- 
thella,  as  something  pleasing.  She  did  not  know  how 
deeply,  how  terribly  that  death  had  already  been  graven 
upon  the  poor  girl's  mind  ;  and  that  the  effect  of  the  scene 
upon  her  feeble  health  had  almost  unseated  her  reason. 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  389 

Mrs.  Smiley  also  felt  anxious  at  Luthella's  absence,  and 
said  to  Lenfolia, 

"  Let  us  start  down  the  road  to  meet  her  ;  and  even  if 
we  go  quite  there,  it  is  not  over  half  a  mile  by  the  path 
across  the  hill.  I  Jong  to  see  her  and  tell  her  the  news." 

She  did  not  think  that  they  had  more  news  to  learn  than 
they  had  to  give. 

They  each  wrapped  a  large  shawl  about  their  shoulders, 
and  put  on  their  "  sun-bonnets,"  and  hurried  away  across 
the  hill,  by  the  path  that  Luthella  had  gone. 

It  was  so  dark  when  Luthella  reached  Celestine's  grave, 
and  she  was  so  intently  absorbed  in  thought,  while  her  eyes 
were  fixed  upon  the  neat  white  paling  and  shrubbery  that 
some  one  had  planted  around  it,  that  she  did  not  notice  a 
dark  object  moving  away  from  the  other  side  while  she 
knelt  on  this.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  imagine  a  more 
lonely  spot  for  the  living  to  commune  with  the  dead,  than 

the  cemetery  of  C ,  at  midnight,  and  such  a  night  as 

this.  The  moon  was  only  at  half  full,  and  shrouded  all  the 
time  with  a  hazy  veil,  while  clouds  were  flitting  every  now 
and  then  across  her  face,  and  only  here  and  there  a  star, 
peeping  down  for  a  moment  upon  that  grassy  green  grave 
and  its  neat  enclosure,  holding  a  faded  rose-bush  at  one  end, 
and  a  bunch  of  rich  chrysanthemums,  in  full  bloom,  at  the 
other  ;  while  the  wind  came  with  a  sigh  into  the  old  maple 
tops  over  head,  or  went  hurtling  down  the  valley,  over  the 
pond,  and  the  little  cascade  at  the  dam,  a  few  rods  below. 

The  stream,  in  places,  was  bordered  with  small  evergreen 
bushes,  growing  down  to  the  water's  edge  ;  and  a  little  fur- 


390  G  E  E  E  N  -  II'O  U  N  T  A  I  N     GIRLS. 

ther  on,  a  perpendicular  rock  stood  like  a  wall  between  the 
water  and  land. 

The  darn  had  been  built  to  form  a  pretty  lakelet  as  an 
addition  to  the  scenery,  and  by  its  twenty  feet  fall,  the  water 
kept  up  one  eternal  strain  of  music  of  a  tone  suited  to  the 
solemnity  of  the  place. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  pond,  there  was  a  high,  ragged 
hill,  covered  with  fragments  of  broken  rocks,  that  had,  dur 
ing  time's  ages,  tumbled  down  from  the  jagged  precipices, 
along  which  there  was  a  growth  of  dark  evergreens,  with 
here  and  there  a  scathed  oak,  stretching  its  giant  arms 
abroad,  standing  sentry  for  ages  over  those  that  were  sleep 
ing  below. 

Through  these  trees,  and  over  these  rocks,  the  wind  now 
swept,  tearing  and  crashing  along  with  a  sound  like  the 
rushing  of  a  herd  of  mastodons,  charging  to  battle,  crush 
ing  rocks  and  trees  beneath  their  tread,  and  splashing 
through  the  water,  in  a  march  of  solemn  grandeur,  and  with 
music  art  can  never  imitate. 

It  is  not  in  the  concert  hall,  or  in  the  march  of  armies,  in 
peace  or  war,  with  their  grand  array  of  instruments,  that 
nature's  music  is  to  be  heard  or  imitated.  If  you  would 
have  it  in  perfection,  go  out  upon  such  an  autumn  night  as 
this,  when  the  storm-fiend  is  marshaling  his  bands,  and 
listen  to  the  serenade  of  the  dead  in  such  a  solemn  place  as 
this. 

And  in  such  a  place  too,  it  is  good  for  us  all  at  proper 
times  to  go  and  hold  communion — not  with  the  dead,  but 
with  our  own  hearts.  We  need  not  choose  the  hour  of 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  391 

midnight,  when  the  wiud  that  precedes  a  storm  howls 
through  the  tree-tops,  like  some  wild  beast  intent  upon  prey  ; 
but  we  may  go  out  upon  a  still,  calm  evening,  or  a  Sab 
bath  afternoon,  and  sit  down  by  the  side  of  a  sister's  grave, 
or  the  grave  of  some  departed  friend,  and  then  look  into 
our  own  hearts,  and  make  inquiry  :  "  Am  I  prepared  to 
come  here  for  the  last  time  ?" 

A  cemetery  is,  by  the  very  nature  of  its  use,  a  place  of 
solemnity.  It  was  unusually  so  this  particular  evening. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  Luthella  was  entranced — that  she 
lost  all  consciousness  of  sublunary  things,  while  her  body 
was  so  near  that  of  Celestine,  and  her  mind  with  hers  in 
the  spirit-land  of  the  blest.  It  is  no  wonder,  when  she 
reviewed  her  life,  and  felt  all  the  miseries  she  had  endured, 
and  how  little  of  pure  friendship  she  had  enjoyed  on  earth, 
and  how  utterly  lonely  she  was  in  the  world,  that  she  should 
long  to  be  with  the  only  being  she  had  ever  found  whose 
mind  fully  sympathized  with  hers,  while  their  hearts  beat  in 
unison. 

Never,  in  all  her  young  years,  had  she  felt  that  heavenly 
enjoyment  that  comes  with  pure  love,  whether  to  things 
earthly  or  heavenly. 

She  had  longed,  with  an  earnest  longing,  for  something 
upon  which  to  place  her  affections. 

"  I  could,"  said  she,  "have  loved  a  dog,  if  I  knew  the 
poor,  speechless  thing  loved  me.  I  fairly  yearned  after  some 
object  that  I  could  press  to  my  heart,  while  I  felt  that  that 
object  reciprocated  my  earnest  affection.  I  thought,  when 
I  first  came  among  the  girls  at  the  cotton  factory — for  the 


392  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIKLS. 

great  mass  of  them  were  good,  honest,  virtuous  girls — that 
I  surely  should  find  one  among  them  all  that  I  could  love, 
who  would  love  me.  Perhaps  I  should,  but  my  affections 
were  drawn  away  from  them  by  that  wretch  upon  whom 
heaven  took  vengeance  at  last  in  an  awful,  bloody  death. 

"  But  I  found  at  last  what  I  had  long  sought,  that  happy, 
holy  love,  in  my  sister  Celestine  ;  who,  like  me,  had  been, 
ever  since  she  lost  her  mother,  pining  after  something  to  fill 
that  aching  void  in  the  human  heart.  Then,  after  enjoying, 
as  I  did,  her  love  for  two  years  ;  and  after  all  the  rebuffs 
and  sickness  of  the  next  year  ;  and  after  witnessing  the  hor 
rible  scene  that  I  did  that  day  ;  and  then  when  I  expected 
to  meet  sympathizing  friends,  to  find  myself  among  strangers; 
and  afterwards  alone  upon  such  a  night  by  the  side  of  Celes- 
tine's  grave  ;  is  it  any  wonder  that  for  a  moment  I  should 
have  lost  my  reason  ?" 

It  would  have  been  wonderful  if  she  had  not. 

"  I  was  unconscious,"  said  Luthella,  "  of  the  passing  time, 
for  an  hour,  while  these- thoughts  were  rushing  like  that 
race-horse,  with  broken  bit,  down  that  fearful  hill  and  death- 
dealing  precipice  at  the  bottom,  and  well-nigh  I  came  to 
making  a  still  more  fearful  leap. 

"  I  thought,  and  I  never  could  divest  my  mind  of  the 
reality,  that  Celestine  got  up  from  her  earthy  bed  and 
walked  slowly  out  of  the  little  enclosure  toward  the  pond, 
beckoning  me  all  the  time  with  her  hand,  and  such  a  sweet 
smile,  to  follow  her,  that  I  could  not  resist,  any  more  than 
the  needle  can  resist  magnetic  attraction,  or  the  fluid  stop 
midway  upon  its  journey  along  the  telegraph  wires. 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  393 

"  At  that  very  moment,  an  owl,  I  suppose  it  must  have 
been,  in  the  top  of  a  wild-looking  dead  tree,  on  the  opposite 
bank,  fluttered  his  broad  wings  in  the  pale  moonlight — foi 
the  clouds  at  that  moment  had  blown  away,  and  the  wind 
lulled  to  an  awful  calm.  While  I  was  watching  the  spectre, 
as  it  moved  away,  the  town  clock  commenced  striking 
twelve  ;  reviving  all  the  tales  I  had  heard  of  ghosts  that 
walked  about  at  that  hour.  Mingled  with  the  slow,  solemn 
peals  of  the  bell,  as  I  made  my  measured  step  along  the 
way  my  guide  led  me,  came  the  owl's  voice,  pealing  upon  the 
midnight  air,  sounding  to  my  ear  as  though  the  spectre  had 
said  :  '  Follow,  follow,  follow  ; "  and,  at  the  same  moment, 
it  disappeared  over  the  precipice,  as  though  it  had  gone 
down  into  the  deep  pool  below. 

"  1  had  not  spoken  a  word  since  I  reached  the  spot,  for 
my  prayers  had  been  mental  instead  of  wordy  expressions, 
but  now  I  cried  out,  '  I  will,  I  will,  I  will  !' 

"  It  was  thus  I  answered,  as  I  sprang  toward  the  edge  of 
the  bank  where  Celestine  had  disappeared.  In  a  moment 
more  and  I  should  have  been  beyond  the  reach  of  earthly 
aid,  if  I  had  been  alone.  I  was  n  >t. 

Mrs.  Smiley  and  Lenfolia,  had  been  standing  almost 
within  reach  of  me  for  some  minutes.  Thinking  I  was  engaged 
in  prayer,  they  were  unwilling  to  disturb  my  devotions. 
But  when  I  started  up  so  wildly,  and  uttered  these  words, 
they  felt  that  what  Sally  had  said :  '  I  believe  she  is  crazy  ; ' 
was  literally  true,  and  that  I  was  going  to  drown  myself. 

"  They  screamed,  as  only  a  woman  at  such  a  time,  at  such 
a  sight,  of  a  fellow-creature  about  to  plunge  down  a  steep 

17* 


394  GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

bank  to  certain  death,  can  scream  ;  outscreaming  the  wild 
owl  upon  the  old  tree,  and  out-sounding  the  old  church 
bell's  midnight  tones." 

Both  sprang  forward  to  save  the  poor  maniac,  but  they 
were  all  too  slow.  No  deer  ever  made  a  more  sudden  or 
rapid  bound.  Her  white  dress  gleamed  a  moment  like  a 
8ash  in  the  pale  light,  and  then  there  was  a  splash  in  the 
water,  twenty  feet  below,  and  ere  they  could  reach  the  edge 
of  the  bank,  a  dark  object  passed  between  them  and  the 
moon,  and  then  they  heard  a  second  plunge,  and  all  was 
still  but  the  ripples  of  the  disturbed  pool,  breaking  against 
the  rocky  bank.  Directly,  the  dark  object  emerged  from 
below  the  surface,  bringing  with  him  the  inanimate  form  of 
the  drowning  girl.  Desperately  he  strived  to  get  foot  or 
hand-hold  of  the  slippery  rocks,  or  some  bushes  that  grew 
only  a  few  inches  beyond  his  reach.  But  he  could  not,  and 
evidently  would  be  able  to  sustain  his  burden  but  a  moment 
longer.  Quick  as  thought,  Mrs.  Smiley  said  : 

"  Your  shawl,  Leufolia,  your  shawl!" 

She  knotted  the  corners  of  that  and  her  own  together, 
and  leaped  down  upon  the  narrow  ledge  where  the  bushes 
grew,  and  swung  one  end  to  the  man  in  the  water  ;  he  fast 
ened  it  around  the  girl's  body,  while  Mrs.  Smiley  secured 
the  other  to  a  bush. 

"  Now,  your  hand." 

And  now  he  stood  by  her  side.  In  a  second  more,  and 
Luthella  was  drawn  up  and  laid  upon  the  grass.  But 
where  was  Lenfolia  ?  Thoughtful  girl  I  She  had  sped  like 
an  arrow  to  her  home,  and  before  Luthella  had  aroused  to 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  395 

consciousness,  assistance  was  there  to  carry  her  to  the 
house. 

When  she  came  to  herself,  next  morning,  she  was  in  bed 
in  the  same  room  she  used  to  occupy,  stripped  of  her  wet 
garments,  and  dressed  in  a  suit  of  Lenfolia's  night-clothes, 
looking  all  the  sweeter  for  her  cold  bath  the  night 
before. 

The  storm  was  howling  with  terrific  fury  on  the  outside, 
but  all  was  calm  as  peace  and  love  within  ;  for  there  sat 
the  man  who  had  saved  her,  with  her  hand  pressed  in  his, 
and  he  had  just  whispered  to  her  : 

"  I  have  loved  you  since  the  time  we  first  met  over  your 
dying  sister,  my  poor  cousin,  and  now  I  have  been  sent  by 
Providence  to  save  you  from  death — be  mine — be  happy." 

"  Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Smiley  and  Lenfolia,  while  both  their 
husbands  nodded  approval,  "  and  next  week  we  will  have 
another  wedding,  and  you  shall  be  Mrs.  Blythe  White.'- 


396  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 


THE   STORY  FINISHED. 

READER  :  The  preceding  page  closed  my  tale  of  the 
GREEN  MOUNTAIN  GIRLS,  but  I  have  a  word  more  to  say. 
Perhaps  you  would  like  to  hear  a  little  more  of  some  of 
the  characters  with  whom  you  have  become  acquainted  in 
the  progress  of  the  story. 

Perhaps  you  would  like  to  glance  at  some  of  the  scenes 
where  the  actors  once  lived — still  live,  some  of  them. 

Suppose  we  go  up  the  railroad  to  Brandon  Valley.  The 
bridge  you  cross,  just  before  you  stop,  occupies  the  site  of 
that  once  known  as  "  Smugglers'  Bridge,"  and  the  railway 
station-house  stands  over  the  ashes  of  Deacon  Brandon's 
Distillery.  The  smugglers'  trade  has  been  killed  by  com 
mon  sense.  Cars  traverse  iron  rails  from  Montreal  to 
Boston,  along  some  of  the  smugglers'  dark  paths,  through 
the  valleys. 

'Look  up  eastward  from  the  station-house.  Do  you  see 
that  lone  rock  on  the  side  hill,  and  that  vine-clad  tree, 
spreading  its  cool  shade  over  that  rural  seat  ?  That  is 
AHda's  Rock.  I  penned  a  part  of  this  story  under  that 
shade,  by  the  side  of  that  rock,  with  the  scene  of  things  I 
have  told  spread  out  before  me. 

Cars  run  from  Boston  to  Montreal,  did  I  say?     That 


GREEN- MOUNTAIN   GIRLS.  397 

does  not  express  a  tittle  of  the  changes  that  have  taken 
place,  withiii  forty  years,  in  the  region  over  which  the  cha 
racters  spoken  of  in  this  volume  traversed.  Yes,  and  that 
is  not  all  that  may  be  said  of  these  characters.  More  than 
half  of  those  who  are  introduced  in  the  early  stages  of  the 
story  have  taken  passage  in  the  car  of  fate,  and  travelled 
by  the  express  train  that  carries  us  all  rapidly  to  our  jour 
ney's  end. 

And  the  express  trains  upon  the  iron  rails  that,  in  spite 
of  hills,  rocks,  rivers,  mountains,  have  been  stretched  out 
over  the  land,  are  carrying  passengers  and  freight  to  a  thou- 
'sand  villages  that  were  hidden  so  deep  among  the  moun 
tains  that  the  most  sanguine  dreamer,  forty  years  ago, 
would  not  have  ventured  a  prophesy  that  they  would  ever 
be  dug  out  by  the  persevering  industry  of  railway-builders, 
till  the  north  part  of  Vermont  and  Boston  could  shake 
hands,  morning  and  evening. 

Ah,  here  is  one  of  the  old  settlers,  by  his  dress,  come  to 
look  at  the  cars,  just  as  though  he  had  not  seen  them  arrive 
every  day,  for  the  last  year.  Let  us  hear  what  it  is  that  he 
is  saying  about  railroads. 

"  Polks  don't  travel  as  they  used  to  when  I  was  a  boy. 
Then  we  never  used  to  think  of  going  to  Boston  but  once  a 
year,  when  it  was  good  sledding,  to  carry  down  the  butter 
and  cheese,  and  turkeys,  for  Christmas,  and  bring  home 
some  salt.  And  I  have  carried  many  a  bag  of  that  a  hun 
dred  miles  on  horseback.  Now,  look  here,  dang  my  but 
tons,  if  here  ain't  fresh  fish  that  left  Boston  this  morning. 
I  wonder  what  next  ?" 


398  GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS. 

So  did  I,  as  I  looked  at  this  antediluvian,  and  in  vain  for 
the  buttons  that  he  swore  by,  upon  a  buttonless  coat  :  I 
wondered  what  next,  in  this  onward  march  of  the  national 
giant — industry,  which  has  so  changed  things  that  "  folks 
don't  travel  as  they  used  to."  I  did  not  doubt  the  asser 
tion  of  the  odd  specimen  of  humanity,  or  that  in  his  day  he 
used  to  pack  salt  on  horseback,  for  this  was  Jason  In- 
wright,  the  man  that  created  no  surprise,  when  he  proposed 
to  carry  the  grindstone  in  the  same  way. 

It  could  not  be  said  of  Jason,  that  he  does  not  travel  in 
the  same  way  he  did  then,  for  I  noticed,  as  he  rode  off  on 
a  specimen  of  the  "woolly  horse,"  that,  for  aught  that , 
appearances  indicated,  it  was  the  same  "  Old  Brandy,"  and 
the  same  old  saddle,  supported  with  its  bags  of  straw,  and 
the  same  bridle,  made  of  moosewood  bark. 

Jason  is  one  of  the  unchangeables,  as  well  as  unaccount- 
ables.  He  is  one  of  the  few  living  characters  of  my  story, 
though  not  a  very  prominent  one.  That  cannot  be  said  of 
him,  where  he  is  known.  He  always  has  been  a  marked 
character  ;  and  "odd  as  Jason"  is  one  of  the  marked  say 
ings  of  that  region. 

The  parsonage  and  its  inmates  have  been  as  accurately 
described  in  Luthella's  dream,  as  though  it  had  been  a 
reality. 

The  new  owner  of  the  old  distillery  did  not  long  survive 
a  loss  that  rendered  him  unable  to  enjoy  the  home  that  he 
had  obtained  by  a  wicked  wrong  to  the  widow  and  orphans. 

God  is  just. 

The  cunning  of  "old  Fox"  could  not  save  him  from 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS.  399 

coming  to  sleep  in  the  same  yard  with  Deacon  Brandon, 
and  a  very  large  portion  of  those  that  were  skilled  in  cun 
ning,  forty  years  ago  :  but  what  avails  canning,  when  Death 
calls  ?  Death  is  God's  messenger  ! 

Jim  Arnold,  the  "  stupid  Yankee,"  that  outwitted  old 
Fox  with  his  "  hardware,"  lives  in  yonder  beautiful  house, 
upon  the  farm  that  you  admired  so  much,  which  he  bought 
with  the  profits  of  a  contract  on  the  railroad. 

You  recollect  the  pleasant  party  and  trip  we  made  last 
summer,  on  that  pretty  little  steamboat,  when  we  stopped  at 
Howel's,  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Memphremagog.  That  is  the 
same  Howel  that  kept  the  house  where  Alida  was  married. 
He  is  a  gray-haired  old  grandfather  of — I  don't  know  how 
many  grandchildren.  His  girls  all  married  well,  and  did  a 
good  part  towards  multiplying  and  replenishing  the  earth. 

It  is  a  great  treat  to  hear  my  grandfather  tell  of  things 
that  transpired  around  that  lake,  in  early  times,  when 
Stephen  Burroughs  was  supposed  to  have  his  manufactory 
of  counterfeit  money  somewhere  in  the  recesses  of  those 
mountains. 

The  north  part  of  Yermont  was  a  wilderness  then — it  is 
now  a  land  of  flocks  and  herds,  and  industrious  farmers  and 
happy  homes.  It  heard  then  the  nightly  scream  of  the 
panther  ;  the  growl  of  the  bear  ;  the  bark  of  the  wolf  ;  the 
tread  of  the  moose.  It  hears  now  the  scream  of  the  locomo 
tive  ;  the  bell  of  the  steamboat ;  the  hymn  of  praise  ;  the 
tread  of  onward-marching  civilization  ;  and  the  people  see 
the  horn  of  plenty  full,  and  sing  songs  of  joy. 

God  is  just! 


400  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

The  waters  of  Lake  Champlain,  where  Michael  drove  that 
exciting  night-race,  still  freeze  in  winter,  for  nature  is  still 
the  same  :  it  is  only  ourselves  that  change  ;  but  in  summer 
what  a  change  from  the  time  when  hostile  fleets  rained 
death's  missiles  into  each  other.  I  sailed  over  its  placid 
waters  a  few  weeks  since,  in  company  with  five  hundred 

others,  upon  a  gorgeous  hotel,   floating  between  Rouse's 

• 

Point  and  Whitehall.  I  looked  for  the  spot  where  the 
two  desperate  smugglers  went  down  ;  but,  though  I  saw 
the  hill,  up  which  Michael  carried  the  perishing  woman  and 
child  and  their  unconscious  husband  and  father;  and  though 
I  saw  the  sweet  village  at  its  foot,  and  read  the  names  of 
"  Yorkbridge,  Field  and  Granly, "  upon  one  of  the  gilded 
signs,  and  knew  that  they  were  rich  merchants,  who  would 
endorse  my  notes,  which  I  have  here  put  afloat,  if  requisite 
to  give  them  currency,  I  saw  nothing  to  mark  their  graves. 

I  looked  in  vain  for  any  sign  to  show  that  two  such  men 
as  Scale  Williams  and  John  Longwood,  had  lived  or  died 
near  the  spot  where  I  was  then  meditating  upon  the 
men,  and  things  of  life  that  filled  this  scene,  fifty  years 
ago. 

At  "Field's  Wharf,"  a  bridal  party  came  on  board,  some  of 
whom  I  knew,  and  all  of  whom  I  was  certainly  glad  to  see. 
I  was  introduced  by  Judge  Franklin  May,  to  his  daughter, 
Mary  Tharp  May,  just  married  to  Col.  Yorkbridge's  oldest 
son.  There  was  a  noble,  fine-looking  old  gentleman,  his 
head  covered  with  flowing  gray  locks,  in  the  company,  who 
the  reader  will  recognize  as  one  of  the  good  fruits  of  a  good 
daughter's  earnest  prayers,  when  I  tell  them  that  this  was 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  401 

Mary  Tharp's  father.  While  he  is  living  to  a  good  old 
age,  an  honored  and  respected  Deacon,  every  one  of  that 
bar-room  company  have  gone where echo  answers. 

In  this  company  there  was  a  most  lovely  woman  of  some 
thing  less  than  fifty  years,  around  whom  clustered  a  large 
family  of  children  and  grandchildren,  all  of  whom  bore  the 
marks  of  a  respectable  rank  in  society.  She  was  a  woman 
of  marked  good  sense,  and  a  flow  of  cheerful  conversation. 
She  was  a  widow  ;  and  as  sueh  will  end  her  days  in  happy 
remembrance  of  her  excellent  husband,  who  died  as  he  lived, 
respected  by  a  very  large  circle  of  acquaintances. 

"  Who  is  she  ,"  I  whispered  in  Dr.  Field's  ear. 

"  Why  my  dear  boy,  don't  you  know  ? Here, 

Granly,  pray  tell  Blythe  who  this  lady  is  that  attracts  so 
much  attention.  She  attracted  your  attention  once  not 
many  miles  from  this  spot.  I  think  Blythe  has  heard  the 
story.  Well,  then,  I  will  tell  it  myself.  That,  that  is  my 
little  patient  of  Stanstead  barracks — the  same  one  that 
Michael  saved  from  death  upon  the  ice  of  Lake  Champlain, 
within  sight  of  yonder  village.  There  was  no  village  then. 

"  It  is  a  story  that  would  read  well  in  a  collection  of  tales, 
such  as  I  can  give  you  the  incidents  of,  if  you  will  embody 
them  in  a  volume.  There  is  the  story  of  Alida  and 
Celestine  ;  of  your  wife  and  her  mother  :  of  Mary  Tharp, 
and  what  she  has  done  for  that  fine  old  man,  her  father  ; 
and  then  I  will  tell  you  some  funny  anecdotes  of  Decker's 
wife  ;  and  " 

"  Will  you  put  in  the  smugglers,  Doctor  ?" 

"  Yes,  yes.     I  will  tell  you  a  string  of  stories  to  fill  up. 


402  GREEN-MOUNTAIX      GIRLS. 

Depend  upon  it,  you  could  make  a  very  readable  book. 
Will  you  do  it  ?" 

"  I  will  try.     But  what  shall  I  call  it?" 

"  Call  it  !  Why  I  don't  know.  No  matter  what  you 
call  it.  What's  in  a  name  ?" 

"  A  good  deal — everything  in  a  book — it  must  have  a 
good  name  and  an  appropriate  one4" 

"  I  have  it,  then — capital — call  it,  '  The  Green  Mountain 
Girls-!'  a  story  of  Yermont,  forty  years  ago." 

"  That  is  very  good — it  is  very  expressive  too,  since  some 
of  the  principal  personages  illustrate  the  character  of  the 
early  settlers  of  these  mountains.  I  will  try  what  I  can  do." 

"That  is  right.  But  recollect  one  thing,  though,  you 
must  not  use  anybody's  real  name.  Give  them  something 
as  noms  de  guerre,  that  nobody  can  guess  at." 

"  What  shall  I  call  you,  Doctor  ?" 

"  Let  me  see  ;  I  think  I  will  figure  as  Doctor  Field.  That 
is  short — always  pick  for  short  names — it  saves  a  deal  of 
writing.  And  so  we  will  call  you  White.  Now  don't  forget 
your  own  name." 

I  did  not,  nor  what  I  had  promised,  and  that  very  night, 
in  my  chamber  at  Saratoga,  I  sketched  the  plan  of  the 
volume,  and  wrote  one  chapter  ;  and  the  next  morning  I 
submitted  the  whole  to  Doctor  Field,  and  he  said, 
"  Capital,"  which  is  a  great  word  with  him,  and  may  lead 
to  his  identity,  among  his  intimate  acquaintances. 

Seeing  that  I  was  in  earnest,  he  sat  down  all  that  day 
and  told  me  anecdotes  and  incidents,  that  I  have  embodied 


GREEN-MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  403 

in  my  tale  of  the  Green  Mountain  Girls.  How  well  I  have 
told  my  story,  I  leave  it  to  you  to  say.  Doctor  Field  says 
it  is  not  a  tale — a  romance — it  is  a  history  of  life  among 
the  early  settlers  of  Vermont.  He  says,  the  book  will  be 
read  with  pleasure  and  profit,  long  after  we  are  gathered  to 
our  fathers. 

There  was  another  character  among  the  party  that  came 
on  board  at  Yorkbridge  Landing,  who  seemed  to  attract 
one's  attention,  both  from  the  benevolence  of  their  counten 
ances,  and  pleasant  conversation,  and  because  the  old  gentle 
man  seemed  to  be  known  to  so  many,  both  on  the  boat,  and 
at  that  delightful  home  of  travellers,  at  Saratoga,  known  as 
Congress  Hall. 

"  Who  is  he?"  was  the  anxious  inquiry  of  many  a  stranger. 

That  was  Squire  Granly — not  Mike  Granly,  the  poor 
fatherless,  motherless,  homeless,  outcast  boy — no,  but  it  is 
the  man  that  has  grown  out  of  that  very  boy. 

"  And  who  is  that  pale,  but  intelligent-looking  young 
man,  in  company  with  him,  that  looks  as  though  he  might 
be  a  young  minister  ?" 

He  is,  a  minister  to  the  poor — to  just  such  boys  as  his 
father  was,  in  all  his  young  days. 

He  is  one  of  the  missionaries  to  the  abodes  of  poverty, 
want,  wretchedness,  crime,  and  woe,  in  the  great  emporium 
of  America.  You  may  sometimes  find  him  in  the  chapels 
of  the  mission-houses  of  the  notorious  Five  Points  of  New 
York  ;  and  sometimes  in  the  ragged  schools  of  the  outcast 
children  ;  and  sometimes  in  dens  of  crime,  among  the  fallen 
of  both  sexes,  wherever  he  imagines  that  duty  calls,  or 


404  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

where  he  can  do  good  ;  and  sometimes  in  the  abode  of  some 
poor  widow,  who  has  struggled  hard  to  keep  herself  and 
children  from  beggary,  where  he  has  gone  to  carry  joy  to 
her  heart,  while  acting  as  the  almoner  of  some  benevolent 
soul,  who  had  rather  intrust  his  or  her  alms  to  him  than 
climb  themselves  into  garrets  of  tenant  houses,  or  down  into 
damp  basements  where  the  poor  live. 

If  you  would  know  anything  of  Mrs.  Blythe  White,  go 
with  that  young  missionary — you  can  find  her  too  among 
the  "  missions  ;"  and  you  will  find  her  like  gold  tried  by  fire. 
It  is  to  her,  more  than  her  husband,  that  you  are  indebted 
for  this  story — may  it  be  to  all  who  read  it  like  gold  that 
enricheth — like  music  that  charmeth — like  trials  that  chas- 
teneth — like  fire  that  purifieth. 

If  you  would  like  to  visit  her  native  place,  to  inquire 

about  this  story,  you  can  find  the  town  of  M ,  and 

Mrs.  Brandon  living  upon  the  same  farm  where  Alida  was 
carried  fainting  from  the  stage.  You  will  find  her  a  wiser, 
better,  happier  woman.  You  will  not  find  Risley.  He  has 
paid  the  great  debt,  and  left  Mrs.  Brandon  in  the  use  of 
the  property  wrongfully  obtained  from  her  husband.  It 
was  a  simple  act  of  justice  ;  but  therewith,  his  children  are 
not  content.  They  say  they  are  the  "legitimate  heirs;" 
and  if  the  law  would  aid  them,  they  would  send  the  widow 
once  more  to  the  poor-house.  Such  is  man's  justice  to  his 
fellow  man.  God  is  just  ! 

If  you  find  in  this  book  good  characters — emulate  them. 
If  bad — be  warned  and  avoid  them.  Still  more  would  you 
learn  of  these  living  or  dead  prototypes  of  my  characters  ? 


GREEN -MOUNTAIN      GIRLS.  405 

go  among  the  originals,  and  study  life  as  it  is  among  the 
Green  Mountains  of  Vermont,  or  among  the  offshoots  of  the 
Green  Mountain  stock,  not  only  among  their  native  hills,  but 
upon  the  fertile  plains  of  the  West ;  or  among  the  gold  mines 
of  California  ;  or  peering  into  the  crater  of  Vesuvius  ;  or 
climbing  Mont  Blanc  ;  or  here,  there,  and  everywhere, 
where  you  may  find  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Vermont, 
there  you  may  find  an  original  for  some  one  of  the  hundred 
characters  whose  portraits  are  drawn  in  this  volume. 

If  you  love  the  character  of  Alida  Blythe — if  you  honor 
and  respect,  as  do  all  who  know  him,  Squire  Granly,  think 
what  he  was,  and  what  he  would  have  been,  but  for  the 
good  influence  upon  his  youth  of  that  good  girl. 

Remembering,  as  he  ever  has,  what  he  was  when  a  poor, 
unprotected  boy,  is  it  any  wonder  that  he  gave  the  answer 
that  he  did  to  his  son,  when  he  asked  him,  "  What  pursuit 
shall  I  follow,  now  I  have  completed  my  education  ?  I 
seek  your  advice,  father." 

"  Go  to  yonder  great  city — it  is  full  of  just  such  boys  as 
I  was,  when  God  sent  a  missionary  to  instil  principles  of 
truth,  love,  charity,  honor — all  the  Christian  virtues  into  my 
heart — go  as  a  missionary  to  just  such  boys  ;  be  to  them  an 
aid — a  guide — a  helping  hand  in  time  of  need — give  them 
instruction,  counsel,  and  such  assistance  as  God  and  those 
who  love  good  works  may  put  into  your  hands  to  give.  Go 
visit  the  widows  and  fatherless  in  their  affliction,  and  you 
shall  have  my  blessing." 

"  Father,  I  will  go  ;  and  so  far  as  the  devotion  of  my 


406  GREEN-MOUNTAIN     GIRLS. 

life  to  such  a  cause  cau  pay  the  debt  you  owe,  I  will  pay  it. 
I  only  wish  to  live  to  do  good." 

Reader,  that  has  been  the  object  of  the  author  of  this 
book.  We  have  had  a  long,  and,  to  me  (aud  so  I  hope  to 
you),  a  pleasant  journey  together  ;  and  now  we  have  arrived 
at  the  last  station,  where  we  must  say  farewell,  and  part 
for  ever. 

God  is  just  ! 

To  us  all,  at  the  last  station  of  life,  may  He  be  merciful ! 

Farewell ! 


THE     END. 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

305  De  Neve  Drive  -  Parking  Lot  17  •  Box  951388 

LOS  ANGELES,  CALIFORNIA  90095-1388 

Return  this  material  to  the  library  from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


MAR  02  2005 
DUE  2  WKSFflU  I  DATE  RECEIVED 

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